


Time Off

by PerplexCinema27



Series: Time Off [1]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-13 00:31:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 27,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3361157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerplexCinema27/pseuds/PerplexCinema27





	1. Chapter 1

Alex’s alarm went off blaring loudly that filled as the only noise in the bedroom. She hit the snooze button and snuggled back into bed. Her body turned only to find the opposite end completely vacant. 

“Tobin?” She called out. No answer.

It was 7AM as the forward walked, almost comatose like, towards the kitchen. Then the kitchen backdoor opened wide as Tobin walked into to greet her girlfriend. Tobin was always a morning person which is why she had fresh coffee in each hand. 

“Hi babe.” Tobin placed her coffee on the kitchen counter and handed Alex hers. Alex gratefully sipped as her spirit slowly started to wake. Tobin smiled at the sight and wrapped her arms around her girl’s waist. 

“You could’ve woke me up. I would have gone with you.” 

“It’s your time off, I’m not gonna wake you.” Tobin responded with the coyest look. 

Alex gave back a devilish look brushing against Tobin’s right cheek with her thumb. “Did you finish packing?” She asked.

Tobin nodded. “A little after you knocked out. And I printed the itinerary when I woke up.” 

“So what time are we leaving?” 

“We have to head out by 5 and be at the gate by 6:40.”

The two had decided to fly to New York to meet up with longtime teammates Lori and Megan. The dynamic duo had just bought a flat with their respectable partners in the city and Alex and Tobin was the last few to check out the place. Weeks before Alex had flown back to Rhode Island and to Tobin, Alex had already agreed to meet up. But now regretted it just a little since she just got home to her middy. Alex had been off doing Nike shoots, Tampax commercials, along with television and radio appearances around the states for almost 2 weeks. Her body didn’t feel quite as rested at least Tobin wouldn’t let her anyways. 

Tobin walked back and forth between the living room and their bedroom as she placed most of their luggage near the front door. 

“You know we could just drive there.” Tobin stated.

“Babe, we’re gonna be stuck in the traffic.”

“I know but at least we’ll take longer getting there. “ Tobin walked towards the striker and once again grabbed her waist.

“I’m gonna be asleep the whole time.” Alex whined.

Tobin laughed letting go of Alex’s waist. She reached for her coffee while smirking at her exhausted girlfriend. 

“Ohhh. I get what you’re saying.” Tobin winked at Alex. “That’s what happens when you’re not home.” Tobin slyly responded as she walked backwards towards the living room.

Alex rolled her eyes hard. “Oh shut up.” 

She walked towards the older girl coffee in hand with the biggest smile on her face. Tobin hung her arm over her girl’s shoulder as they both headed towards the bedroom to finish their last minute packing.


	2. Ch. 2

The flight from Rhode Island to New York was quick. In about an hour the couple arrived in the city sitting in the backseat of the cab heading towards Megan's and Lori's apartment. On the way there, the cab driver recognized Alex's face from all the Nike billboards plastered around the city. And so he was persistent with nagging questions for the famous striker. When's the next game? How much do soccer players get paid? Who is better the men's or the women's? Alex politely answered all his questions. She was used to the glory and Tobin was a trooper. She also was used to the attention that the striker received whenever she was out with her. Whether if was back home or if it was in training camps. Tobin always played a supporting role.

They finally pulled to the curb as they were greeted by Megan and Lori. Hugs were going around as Tobin paid the driver. Megan and Lori helped with the couples luggage as they leaded the pack into the building. Sarah and Sally were in the kitchen cooking a festive dinner for their guests.

"That's my baby cooking." Megan proudly said as everyone made their way into the living room. Sarah returning a smile. Tobin and Alex hugged Sarah and Sally and thanked them for their hospitality.

"I'll show you guys your room." Lori said as Alex and Tobin followed.

The guest room was small and quaint. The view was amazing as it outlined the city buildings.

"This is a great place Lor." Tobin complimented.

"Thanks. I'd say it's pretty sweet." Lori sarcastically responded.

\---------------------

The 6 girls were now at the kitchen round table enjoying another bottle of wine over their dessert. Laughs and light conversations filled the night. Alex repeatedly would look over to Tobin sitting across of her in the middle of Megan and Sarah. She forgot how much at ease she was whenever she and Tobin were together. Work was getting in the way of it all. But the stolen glances didn't go unnoticed. Throughout dinner Tobin would catch Alex's stares. In response, she would simply nod at the striker and wink. Alex would shake her head in embarrassment  and blush.

"So Tobs you going back to PSG for another season huh?" Lori questioned.

Tobin nodded as she sipped on her wine. "Yeah in a month or so."

"My enemy." As Megan hung her arm over Tobin's shoulder and squeezed playfully.

Tobin laughed a little buzzed from the alcohol. Megan then continued the horseplay as she put Tobin in a headlock. Alex just giggled as her face brightened up to watch the enlightening drunk smile radiating off of Tobin's face. Though in seconds Sarah scolded Megan right away. Tobin broke free from the headlock and heard Lori imitate a whipping sound directed to Megan. And in tasteful ladylike manner Pinoe flipped her off.

"It's so sick you guys playing overseas. We need more that. More american roots in international clubs. I was telling Meg that you guys are building that path slowly and surly. Lindsey and Kling and everybody else. We need more of a transition." Lori stated.

Tobin was now intently listening. "Yeah I know. Lindsey's doing a great job. She plays great over there."

"So do you." Alex quickly chimed in smiling at her girl from across the table. Tobin winked. Alex felt butterflies and thought it was the wine.

"Yeah we no doubt need a smooth transition for all women players not just for international play but for technique as well." Megan chimed in.

"Uh oh. Soccer talk." Sally said as she and Sarah knew this was their cue to excuse themselves from the dinner table. They went into the kitchen and started to clean up. Small distinct conversation was heard from afar leaving the soccer girls to indulge in their conversation.

"PSG is so good for you Tobs." Lori said.

"Thanks. I like it over there."

"You should! After playing two seasons and now one more I would think so. Plus, it's Paris!" Lori says as if it was more than enough reason.

"Maybe after the season they're gonna ask you to play for their national team." Megan joked.

Goosebumps appeared on Alex's skin. She never did like the thought of Tobin being gone half the year from her let alone playing for another team besides the Thorns. But PSG meant the world to Tobin. So she endured the long distance just like she had before. They both had.

"Nah never. I'm an American at heart." Tobin winked at Alex which brought the striker out of her wandering thoughts. She could feel the butterflies again.

"I gotta say though half the year in Paris and then half the year in Portland. How do you guys end up spending any time at home? That's tough man. I'm sick of traveling when we play away games." Lori laughed.

"We make it work." Alex smiled huge at Tobin and only at Tobin.

\---------------

The weekend in New York was almost over. The group had done almost everything there was to do in NYC. They went to karaoke bars in the middle of the night, they toured the Statue of Liberty, they jumped from subway to subway bar hopping in different districts. Although, the couple decided they wanted to share their last morning alone. They awoke early around dawn as they dressed warm for a walk around Soho.

Tobin was quiet for the most part as she held Alex's hand down the sidewalk. Alex felt content with the middy by her side their shoulders brushing one another's every so often. When was the last time they went for a walk just because? Alex thought. Tobin squeezed Alex's hand tight which startled the striker.

"You know what?" Tobin asked.

"What?"

"I think I should get a permanent place in Paris."

Alex almost stopped dead in her tracks. But continued to move, slowly, so Tobin wouldn't get the wrong idea. She at least wanted to hear this idea out.

"What do ya mean?" Alex asked back.

"I do spend half the year in PSG."

"Right."

"But then when I look at it, Im spending more and more time there for pre season camps. And Champions League might last longer than expected depending on how well we do."

"You've stayed longer before." Alex replied.

"I know. It always made you wait for me. I don't wanna do that anymore."

"I don't get it Tobin. They provide you and Lindsey an apartment. " Alex bluntly put it.

Tobin paused in mid thought. She gave Alex a longing look and then shook her head.

"Nevermind."

"No." Alex quickly let go of Tobin. Tobin didn't like the immediate separation and quickly reached out for the strikers hand. Alex didn't pull back instead she her fingers intertwined loosely with Tobin's. They continued on their walk. This time Tobin couldn't look Alex in the eyes.

"Tobin? Do you want to stay longer at PSG?"

"That's not what I'm saying." Tobin said in such a deadpan manner.

Tobin's eyes were focused forward while Alex looked at Tobin in worrisome.

"Then I don't get it. Is this about waiting?"

Tobin stopped the two at a corner. She brushed hair strands behind Alex's ear her stomach in knots.

(The Morning Before)

Alex was out with Sarah and Sally the entire morning as they went out to get bagels and other assortments. Meanwhile, Megan and Lori showed Tobin their balcony. They drank fresh coffee as they joked around. Lori made the comment that Megan couldn't make a cup of coffee for nothing. And so that's why they resorted to buying a Kurig machine for everyone.

Then it got serious.

"So what's up Tobs?" Meg asked so straight forward.

"What?"

"So you bought the house in Rhode Island. Right?"

"Yeah."

Lori scoffed. Tobin looked her way in confusion.

"Seriously what?" Tobin asked.

"Kelley said you bought the house before you even asked Alex."

Tobin nodded. "Yeah."

"She's poking at the elephant Tobs." Lori hinted.

"What are you talking about?"

"You bought a house before you even asked your girlfriend. I'm saying you and Alex are friggin serious."

Tobin laughed. "Yeah." She said so obviously.

"So that's a big step."

"You guys do know that we've been in Rhode Island for a couple of months now."

"Yeah for like parts of the year." Lori teased.

"You guys know it's hard."

"Which is why we're curious you even bought a house now. I mean Tobs you're peaking at PSG." Megan stated.

"Which is friggin great!" Lori chimed in.

"I bought the house because I love Alex. I'm serious about her. I have been."

"Well now we know via house." Megan replied.

"Like I said Tobin. I don't know how you guys manage to do it in Portland, Paris, Rhode Island. It's crazy."

"What are you guys even talking about? You guys are in the same position."

"It's different. Sarah and Sal don't travel because they don't play soccer. They're here for the staying." Megan honestly answered.

Lori threw her arm over Tobin's shoulder like a caring big sister.

"We know you guys are serious. We're just saying if you think this is as serious as it gets. It's not. Maybe you guys have the distance thing going down but you guys see more of the road then you do each other."

"We've known that." Tobin said frustrated. She didn't know what the two were getting at. Were they nit picking on their relationship or were they actually just looking out for the two?

"Tobs, I think we're all just wondering if somewhere down the line you guys realize that living together for parts of the year isn't gonna be enough for the two of you. One of you is gonna expect more."

The realization had hit Tobin before. It hit Tobin the day she thought about buying the house. But she wanted Alex, nothing was gonna change that. But as the words came spewing out of Megan's mouth it hit Tobin in a different way. Tobin was indeed getting sick of not seeing Alex at all most of the time. Especially in Paris. Alex had business priorities as usual since she was practically becoming the face of US Womens soccer. And they never did talk about plans after soccer. It was always planning for what was in the moment rather than the long run. Megan was right, buying a house was a big step for Tobin and Alex. Maybe this was the time to start making plans for the future? Permanently.

 

(Present)

The look on Alex's face made Tobin feel completely guilty. This was not how Tobin wanted the conversation to go. Alex's facial expression was disheartening.

"I think I said things the wrong way." Tobin choked out.

"Tobin, is this about waiting?" Alex again persistent.

"I like playing in Paris."

"I know. I support you 100%."

Tobin cupped Alex's right side of her face in one hand comfortably. "I know. And I like playing in Portland."

"Yeah..."

"But I like being with you more."

Alex crept closer into Tobin's body with puppy dog eyes as if her heart just melted. Her body now seemed to ease up.

"Tobin is this about waiting?" Alex said softly now.

"I want you to be in Paris with me."

"That means I'm taking the season off in Portland?"

"Just half the season."

Alex laughed. "I don't think they'll let me do that."

"It's just time off Al."


	3. Ch.3

It was raining and muggy in Paris. The air was chilly and still. Tobin and the rest of her PSG team were having dinner at a low key restauraunt in the city celebrating another win which meant another step closer towards the Champions League cup. Hours passed into the night and the team slowly dissipated into different directions. For Tobin and Lindsey they headed towards their flat.

It had been months since Tobin had left the states for Paris. This was what she wanted, to be in Paris for a full season. To play with the team and live in the city. Of course she had to get used to all of the traveling and the longer season. Playing in Paris was so much different than playing in Portland. The weather wasn't always consistent, there was a bigger respect for the sport overseas and such huge turnouts to every game. People were even noticing Tobin out in the streets. Lori and Megan was right Tobin's game had been at her peak and now had bring her international fame. Fame she never wanted of course. She did her best in avoiding photographers and her agent was smart in only allowing real soccer journalists to interview her. Tobin remained humble through it all. 

As they got to the flat Lindsey immediately fell asleep on the couch. Tobin threw a blanket over her teammate and turned off the living room lights leaving the only light to come from the kitchen. She walked into the kitchen and boiled hot water to make some tea. She leaned on the kitchen counter, phone in hand, checking all the messages that were left unchecked during dinner. There were some from her parents, her brother, and twitter notifications. But none she cared for. At least, nothing that she was expecting. 

Tobin knew the striker was hard at training in Portland. She was thinking of how hot it would be right now on the turf. And how Riley was probably making them run laps around the field to finish off. Tobin shook her head. She couldn't think about that right now. Lindsey began to shift on the couch as she made loud noises that didn't seem human at all. Tobin laughed it off and continued to make her tea.

\-----------------

Allie and Alex got back to the apartment. They didn't speak to one another as they were both physically incapable to do anything. It was another one of Riley's hard practice and the blaring sun didn't help at all. The Thorns had only won 4 out of the 10 games they played so far into the season. It was an incredibly bad start to the season as other teams in the league seem to blow past them every week in the standings.

Alex was done showering as she slouched on the couch in her Nike sweats watching whatever was on tv. Allie was in the kitchen cleaning up as she talked on the phone with Jose. Alex didn't mind the lovey dovey couple as Allie had to endure all the Tobin and Alex encounters before when the trio had lived together. Alex was getting good at selective hearing though whenever the couple talked. She knew Allie and Jose were very serious. Allie would often talk about being engaged soon. Inside this hurt Alex, knowing that the very thing would've been possible with Tobin. But she put on a fake front and supported her friend agreeing with her. 

The striker often checked her phone hoping a missed call from a certain someone would pop on her screen. It never did. The separation was killing her. This was the longest they've gone without talking to one another. Let alone the longest they've been apart. 

The striker began to feel nostalgic. Her mind drifted off as she remembered how comfortable their bed was back in Rhode Island. Especially if the weather was bad outside which was always. If it wasn't rainy and cold it was snowing. And if it wasn't snowing it was rainy. Or it would be blistering cold and windy. Nevertheless, the striker hated it. 

But Alex softly giggled to herself as she pondered how she ended up in Rhode Island. She was a west coast girl at heart bred straight out of California. But somehow, as she got on the plane to meet Tobin in their new home that seemed years ago, she didn't care about all of that. Tobin always pulled the striker into her as they snuggled to keep warm every night. Tobin would always make fresh coffee. Tobin always made the bed in a special way so that the striker would always end up with more of the blanket leaving Tobin with all of the pillows on her side. 

Now, Tobin was barely around. She hardly called or checked on the striker since the break up. At least, that's what most of her Portland teammates were calling it that. Her national team felt otherwise. Her second family knew the duo very well. They would encourage the two individually of course that this was just a break. This wasn't permanent. But to Alex it felt exactly like that. 

"Alex?"

The striker looked away from the tv and noticed Allie standing on the end of the couch.

"What?"

"I said I'm going to bed. Are you gonna stay up?"

"Ohh no. Sorry I didn't hear you." 

Allie sighed softly under her breath. She knew way before the season that living with Alex wasn't gonna be the same. Although, she tried her best to make it feel like that. But moments like this where she could tell Alex was drifting off thinking of Tobin, she just knew she would never get to the striker. Alex was just gonna feel miserable inside and that's just the way it's gonna be. 

"Ok. Well don't stay up too long Al. We've got weight training at 10." 

"Yeah I think I'm gonna stay up for ten more minutes." 

Allie walked off into the hallway. Alex waited until she heard the door shut only to slouch back into the couch to feel like shit. She wondered if Tobin felt the same.

\-------------------

(3 weeks later)

Lindsey stood at the other end of island counter in the kitchen. She was staring at Tobin as the middy was mindlessly looking in the fridge. Lindsey knew she was trying to ignore the conversation.

"Tobin I know you heard me."

Tobin shut the fridge doors. She turned around grapes in hand. 

"Yeah I did."

"I was just asking if you're gonna be okay with that. If it does happen."

"I doubt it will. But I think I'd be fine Linds." Tobin lied. 

Lindsey squinted her eyes at Tobin in suspicion. She knew Tobin was lying. 

"Ok." She responded sarcastically as she shrugged the whole thing off. "Well, you wanna go on a quick bike ride?"

"Yeah. I'm down." Tobin quickly walked past her flatmate to grab her gear. Inside, she was grateful that Lindsey so quickly changed topics. I mean, they were practically sisters now and Tobin couldn't hide anything from her. Which also included her feelings about the striker she left behind in the states. Lindsey wasn't oblivious to Tobin's misery. Even though the middy was very good at compartmentalizing that aspect of her life, she could always sense the sadness around her.


	4. Ch.4

(The Morning of Tobin & Lindsey's conversation at the end of Ch.3)

PSG held another meeting in the wee early hours of the morning. Today Tobin was not her usual morning person. Her twitter feed was as usual busy busy busy. But it wasn't until she came along a picture on Syd's profile of her and Alex in Kansas City. Tobin assumed that she was only there to congratulate the fellow striker on her surprisingly recent marriage to Dom Dwyer. He played for Kansas City Sport just as Alex's ex had, well non contracted anyways. 

Why would Alex be there if otherwise Tobin thought. The NWSL season didn't end yet plus they hadn't spoken in years. Not after Alex turned down the engagement and Servando's one time affair. But it was eating away at Tobin. She kept overlooking every detail of the picture. She looks happy? No, she's not there to see him. I know she isn't Tobin thought. 

The meeting was fairly short. Just a bunch of team announcements as usual. But one caught the middy's ear by surprise. 

\---------------

(Present)

What the hell was the purpose of an exhibition game? In the middle of Champions League? This game is just gonna fuck up the schedule Tobin thought. She was so furiously deep in her thoughts that she hadn't known Lindsey was way ahead of her during their bike ride. Lindsey often turned around yelling at Tobin to hurry and catch up. But an unfocused Tobin never did catch on.

The bike ride that was supposed to last half an hour or so ended up being a whole hour. Lindsey had gotten to the apartment fifteen minutes early as she watched Tobin enter their apartment from the kitchen. 

"Wow." Lindsey sarcastically put out. 

Tobin threw her gear down in the corner of the living room where an American flag hung. 

"Thanks. I thought we were going on a bike ride?" Tobin had said cynically. 

Lindsey scoffed. "Yeah that's what I thought." She retorted back.

"You could've at least waited for me on the last half a mile."

Lindsey just laughed. "Are you serious? You didn't see me turn around yelling at you to hurry up."

Tobin just brushed off the comment as she grabbed water out of the fridge. Lindsey knew this was more than just a bike ride. So, she decided to poke the bear even more.

"You didn't even look like you were on a bike ride to be honest."

"What?" Tobin asked confused. "Was I not on a bike?"

"Well you seemed distracted. You couldn't hear all the seventeen times I yelled at you."

"We were on the road Lindsey there's other noise besides you."

Yup, poked Lindsey thought.

"Wow. Yeah you definitely are distracted. Well I'm gonna take a shower so you can check on that attitude."

Lindsey walked towards the hallway.

"I'm eating over at Shirley's tonight!" She yelled from afar.

Tobin stood in the kitchen completely frustrated and distraught. Lindsey was getting at her and she knew it.

\--------------

An hour and a half passed by. Lindsey was set to head over to her teammates apartment. Tobin, just jumping out of the shower, was putting her damp hair in a bun on the couch.

"You can come to."

Tobin shook her head. "I'm not gonna be any fun."

"It's just an exhibition game. It doesn't even mean anything. Tobin, you do realize we're only gonna be there for probably a week or less. We have the Montepellier game right afterwards. The worst thing is if they stay at the same hotel we do." Lindsey laughed trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm gonna call her." Tobin sounding decisive. 

"Or you could do that." Lindsey patted Tobin on the shoulder for luck.

She was on the way out as she yelled from the front door, "Adults." 

"Yeah you should try to act like one." Tobin yelled back. She heard the door shut and scoffed. She was thankful she had Lindsey, a smart ass teenager. 

Tobin reached for her phone. She took in a deep breath and dialed Alex's number. She sat on the couch nervous as the phone rang. Suddenly, Tobin wondered if Alex was even in Portland. Maybe she was still in Kansas with Syd. Or with him. She didn't like the thought of calling her if she was gonna be near him. But it was too late to hang up. 

"Hi!" Alex's voice perked up on the other end."


	5. Ch.5

Tobin was startled from hearing the voice of the striker she hadn’t heard in months. A slight smile appeared on her face. 

“Tobin?”   
The midfielder forced herself out of daydream land and back into reality.

“Ohh, hey. Hi.” Tobin mustered out.

“Hi. How – are you?”

Tobin could sense the worrisome of the striker’s voice. And in a second all she wanted to do was be wherever the striker was on the other end. 

“I’m okay. How are you?”

There was a pause. “I could be better honestly.”

Tobin dropped her head to the ground rubbing her eyes in frustration. Don’t do this now Alex Tobin pleaded in thought.

“Did you just finish practice?” Tobin responded to quickly change subjects.

Another pause. “Uh no. It was just another weight training session.”

“So you’re in Portland?” Tobin sounded so curiously.

“Yeah. Where did you think I was?”

Tobin hit her forehead playfully with the palm of her hand. She knew she sounded worried almost a little too protective.

“Oh no I just thought you guys were at an away game.” Tobin quickly retorted hoping Alex couldn’t sense the protectiveness from her previous comment.

“Not until Thursday. We’re playing against Chicago.”

“Oh.”

Silence. 

“Tobin?”

“Yeah?”

“Well you’re the one that called.”

“What?” 

“Well you called me. Did you just want to know where I was?”

“Oh no. That’s not why I called.”

The second it came out of her mouth Tobin knew she wasn’t ready to make this call. Her mind and her heart was running all over the place. She knew what she wanted to say. She just wanted to inform the striker the news. But after hearing her voice in months Tobin couldn’t even think straight any more. She forgot why she had called in the first place. All she wanted to do was ask how the striker was holding up, she wanted to tell her this separation was killing her. Wondering most nights what the striker was doing or thinking. Did she feel the same way too? But then the picture came rushing to Tobin’s mind like a bad nightmare. Now all she was thinking about was why the striker was in Kansas.

“Tobin?”

“Shit. Sorry.”

“Are you okay? Do you want to call me at another time? Are you with the team?”

“No. I wanna talk to you now.” Tobin responded firmly. Which made Alex squirm a little inside. She did like a strong willed Tobin, it always turned her on. And on the other hand Tobin had wanted to talk to her. Alex was nothing but giddy.

“Ok.” Was all Alex could say.

“I just wanted to ask you something.”

This was a lot harder than Tobin thought. Tobin and Alex had been together for a year let alone lived with one another. Not even to mention the years before their relationship started where they were such close friends which led to their relationship in the first place. But now, Tobin couldn’t even muster up the courage to string together a couple of sentences let alone small talk. 

“Ok.” Alex rolled her eyes. She was sounding repetitive. She too was frustrated. Why is this weird she kept on thinking.

“I saw – the picture.” That was not how she wanted to say it. But it was finally out there.

“The picture?” Alex asked confused.

How could she not know what I’m talking about? “The picture of you and Syd.” 

Alex nodded finally understanding what Tobin was talking about. “Yeah that was a while ago.”

Tobin should’ve been relieved but instead irritation began to boil inside. “Well how long ago?”

Alex already didn’t like the way the conversation was going. They hadn’t talked in so long and the minute they do it feels like they’re two people on different pages. They weren’t in sync anymore.

“Not too long. A couple days before Syd got married.”

“Syd asked you to be there?”

“Yeah. It was one of those civil court ceremonies. Syd asked me to be one of the witnesses. Her mom couldn’t manage to get a flight to get there quickly.”

There was an awkward silence. Tobin felt completely stupid now. She hit her forehead with her palm again this time even harder. She deserved it. She sounded like such an idiot on the phone.

“Tobin?”

“Yeah?”

“Why else would I be there?” Alex subtly demanded.

“I – don’t – know.” 

The two was starting to get good at using silence as a filler.

“Tobin?”

“Yeah?”

A pause. “I miss you.”


	6. Ch. 6

Tobin let out a heavy breath. God, how badly did she just want to embrace Alex.

"Tobin?"

The midfielder hadn't realized that she had been quiet for a while now. Well, for most of their conversation. Alex, however, was on the other end desperately waiting for a kind response. In her moment of bravery, she'd think she'd get something out of Tobin. At least something.

"Al, you know I - we're supposed to be taking our time."

Alex immediately felt deflated. But at least it was something. It just wasn't the words Alex wanted to hear.

"This is a lot of time Tobin." Alex said sadly.

Tobin pinched the skin at the top of her nose between her eyebrows in frustration.

"Alex, this is hard on me too." Tobin's tone was now deep which meant she was serious and putting her foot down.

"Which is why you're calling me in months? In months Tobin!" 

Tobin could sense the attitude from her comment. But she could also sense the sadness behind it.

"There's a reason why I cal - 

"To keep tabs on me?" The striker quickly added only cutting off the bewildered midfielder who was at a loss for words.

"Im not keeping tabs on you."

"We never used to do that Tobin."

"I just thought you were with him. It pissed me off!"

"Why would I see him?"

Tobin stood up from the couch and walked over to the window. She looked out at the view which outlined the city lights. I just wanna go for a run right now Tobin thought. Anywhere than have this conversation right now.

"I honestly don't know. I saw the picture and got mad."

"I just wanna see you." Alex said softly.

This was killing Tobin.

"I gotta go. The teams having dinner." Tobin lied. But saw it as the only fitting way to get out of this sticky mess. Though Alex read it all the way through. If this was how the first conversation the duo had in months she didn't wanna continue it anymore.

"Ok I gotta go too." Alex hesitated to say more. So instead she waited for Tobin to hang up. And just like that she did.


	7. Ch.7

Alex couldn't have felt any more better as she stood under the hot water. It was a good hard fought win for the Thorns. Playing against Chicago especially on the turf wasn't the easiest but they managed to pull out a 2-1 win. Morgan had the game winning goal with a beautiful cross from Vero. The team would leave for the next morning back to Portland. So some of the girls decided to have dinner at a nearby cafe which meant Alex had the room for herself. Allie made an excuse for the striker since she heard about the dreadful phone call with Tobin. Alex deserved time to herself.  
As she finished her shower and putting on her usual Nike sweats, she decided to call Kelley. Someone she needed to make her genuinely laugh.

"Ayyo!"

"Hi Kel!" Alex said through her laughter.

"Saw the highlights. Nice goal! Typical Alex Morgan."

"Thanks. How's your guy's road trip going?"

Kelley reviled. "Oh c'mon you saw the Spirit game."

"Bits and pieces. At least you had a goal."

"Big deal. We're gonna rebound with Boston though I feel it. This schedule is killing me though."

"Tell me bout it."

They continued to joke around as they always do in each other's company. That is until Kelley decided to bring up someone that Alex didn't want to think about at the moment.

"Look I know you're still fighting with Tobin -

"We're not fighting Kel." Alex chimed in.

"Riight. I just wanna ask you something real quick and then we can drop it."

"Kel were not fighting."

"Riight. Can I ask you?"

"What?

"I already bought those tickets for The Killers concert in LA..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Last spring we agreed to go to this concert Al!"

Alex shook her head laughing at Kelley’s short temper. "Oh okay I remember."

"That means I bought tickets for you, me, Allie and Jose are still coming, and now so is Syd and Allie and Ash....and Tobin."

"She's still coming?"

"Well that's why I wanted to ask.”

"You better ask her Kel."

"I'm not asking about Tobin. I'm asking about you."

"Of course I'm going."

"Ok. Cool." There was a pause as if Kelley wanted to say more. But using her best judgment she decided to keep it in. "So how was Syd's wedding?"

Before Alex could answer she thought about why Kelley would ask her if she still wanted to go.

"Why were you asking me?"

"Cus you were there." Kelley chuckled.

"Not about that."

"Al we said we were gonna drop it."

"Is Tobin not going anymore?"

Kelley was quiet. She couldn't lie to her friend but she knew it wasn't her place to say anything.

"Don't make me feel like I'm in the middle pleeease Al."

Alex sighed. This was also one of the reasons why this whole separation had gone bad. Neither Alex or Tobin could ask about the other whenever they spoke to Kelley.

"Sorry."

Kelley got quiet again.

"Kel, you know I just wanna go back to normal with you right."

Kelley burst out into laughter.

"No worries! I love you both. I'm not picking sides I could never. Not when I think you're both being stupid."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Typical Kelley O Hara."

The duo went back to their usual nonsense chatter. Alex slightly felt in her own skin again.

 

\-------------------

Tobin was ridiculously aggressive during practice. There were a few reckless tackles here and there. Most times she acted selfishly by aiming at goal rather than doing her job, which was to be the engine of great service. Lindsey even yelled at her a few times to make sure Tobin got the idea. Better her than the other teammates. Though there was a reason why the middy was acting out.

Tobin and Lindsey sat at their small kitchen table eating a late dinner in silence. Lindsey in all honesty was upset. She knew Tobin wasn't the person to get personal feelings get in the way of soccer.

"So what the hell was today?"

Tobin just scoffed hoping Lindsey would get the message. She didn't wanna talk about it period.

"No really." Lindsey asked persistently.

Tobin sighed deeply. "Lindsey don't."

"I know you're pissed. And I know you don't wanna say anything. But if it's affecting your soccer then I wanna know."

Tobin paused. "I shouldn't have called her the other night. That was a mistake."

"Did you get into a fight?"

"I don't even know what to call it. I couldn't even say a couple of sentences. I was an idiot." Tobin answered honestly.

"Jeez, what did you say to her?"

"I got mad about that picture when she was in Kansas. I couldn't even back it up."

"So why was she in Kansas? For the wedding right?"

Tobin nodded.

"What else did you say?"

"Doesn't matter. I made it worst."

Tobin looked down at her plate while Lindsey watched sympathetically. Then Lindsey’s cell rang and she walked to the kitchen counter where it was charging.

“Hey Kel.”

“Hii! You know I cant speak French.”

Tobin was curious as to why Kelley was calling now. Though she wasn’t in a rush to bother her and Lindsey’s conversation. Suddenly, Lindsey walked back over to the table and held out her phone.

“She wants to talk to you.” Lindsey said with a smile.

Tobin took the phone unenthusiastically. “Whattsup Kel.”

“Tooobin.” Kelley mooed out. 

Of course Tobin chuckled at Kelley’ stupidity. She was always good at that.

“Whattsup.”

“You didn’t text me back. You ignoring me too?”

“I haven’t been on my phone.”

“No I get that. But I wanted to ask you something and I wasn’t sure if I should bring it up now or later.”

“But you chose now right.” 

“Right. It’s about that Killers concert.”

“Now is not a good time to ask.”

“Look I know. But it’s around the corner. Allies been asking me about it. And so has Ash and Ali.”

“What are you telling them?”

“That it’s still on.”

“Shit.” Tobin mumbled under her breath.

“I was under pressure Tobs.”

“Im not mad at you Kels. To be honest, I haven’t even been thinking about it.”

“Dude I don’t blame you. But we did plan this a while ago. The tickets got mailed to me last week.”

“Shit.” Tobin mumbled again.

Tobin silently thought to herself. Last spring Kelley and the middy had both planned for the three to go back to the LA house for the weekend as an early getaway before Alex’s birthday since the NSWL would still be in season. The concert was just a plus. But reflecting on how Tobin and Alex’s last conversation went this was just another reason for Tobin to continue hiding in Paris and for Alex to ignore the actual issue.

“You know what I’m gonna hold off for now. Gimme the weekend to think about it.”

“Ok. Thought you were immediately gonna blow me off.” Kelley laughed in honesty. “But you know Tobs, we both did plan this together. Hoping you back me on this.” 

“I know Kel.” 

“Cool. Give the phone back to Linds. She’s right you are depressing.”

Tobin couldn’t help but smile ear to ear as she handed the cell back to Lindsey. Damn, how she missed being around her.


	8. Ch. 8

"Great job Alex!" Riley yelled at the striker in his thick Irish accent as she put away the ball into the back of the net. 

"Damn, someone's on today." Mana whispered to Jessica as they stood next to one another watching the team scrimmage. 

"Let's hope she's hitting her peak. We could use it right now." Jessica replied.

And within seconds Alex striked another ball this time into the far post.

Riley cheered. Mana gasped blown away at how focused Alex was. Jessica just stood there shaking her head in disbelief.

Alex was on fire today. 

\-------------------

Practice was now over as the the staff were cleaning up the field. The team had already gone back to the lockers except for Alex and Allie. Allie walked over to the striker who was still practicing her shot.

"Alex c'mon we're done." Allie grumbled.

"A few more. You can go. I'll meet you at home."

Allie just rolled her eyes in content. The sticker had made up her mind.

"Fine." Allie said as she waved her arm in the air walking towards the locker rooms. 

It was in quick secession the way the forward hit ball after ball. Which resulted it hitting the net each time. Alex had so much left over energy ironically since they just came back from a road game. But this energy was coming from somewhere else. 

How could she not go? Alex thought to herself. Is she that mad she would miss my birthday? Well technically not my exact birthday but still. Kelley and her planned this whole thing! It was for my birthday, it shouldn't be a big deal right? I mean she still is my girlfriend. 

Alex stopped in mid thought. Taking in deep breaths she looked up at the stands. Could I still even call her that? 

"Morgan! Get to the showers!" Riley yelled from afar. 

Alex jumped at the voice. She looked over to a short red faced Irish man who was wearing a disapproving expression. Alex just gave a thumbs up and walked to the locker rooms wiping away at her sweat with her shirt.

\--------------------

"Think I'm gonna go a run."

Allie dropped her fork. "You're kidding right. We just started eating."

Alex chuckled. "What?"

"You're restless."

"That's a good thing."

"Save it for the game." Allie said bluntly.

The girls went back to eating. There was a moment of silence. 

"Just feel like going on a run."

Allie scoffed with slight attitude which got the strikers attention.

"Ok what?"

"You've got energy because you're pissed. I'd rather you take it out on the field."

"I'm not mad."

This time Allie laughed. "Oh c'mon. You are mad. You're mad at the whole situation. I get it, I would be too. I can see how you wanna direct your anger towards her."

"Allie I'm not mad. I'm being serious."

"Fine. Maybe you're just covering it up with your sadness which is kind of depressing."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Thanks. Very supportive."

"I am trying Alex. We haven't done anything fun lately. And I know Kelley talked to you about the whole LA thing."

"We've done some fun things." Alex said not believing it the second it came out of her mouth.

"No we haven't. And are you even thinking about it?"

"About LA?"

"Yesss!" Allie had to drag out.

In all honesty, Alex wanted to know if Tobin would still go. Then she could really make a final decision.

"I already told Kelley yes." 

Too late.

"Oh." Allie said in disbelief. But smiled then returned to her lunch. 

Well it was too late to turn the trip down now. She had said yes to both Kelley and Allie now. And if she pulled out she knew she'd get the wrath of the two. Maybe this was what she needed like Allie had pointed out. She needed some fun.

\----------------

Meanwhile, oceans apart, Laure had somehow convinced Tobin to go for a night stroll around the city. Laure needed someone to come with her for coffee since Sabrina or other girls didn't wanna go. And Tobin never refused coffee.

They were strolling around occasionally window shopping. Tobin was quiet for the most part which was ok with Laure while she endlessly went on talking about whatever popped in her mind. Laure saw a cute boutique store that looked like it was closing. She skipped to the shop as Tobin encouraged for her to go without the midfielder. And so Laure disappeared in a second. 

Tobin, instead, stopped inside of a small flower shop. She went from isle to isle her eyes attracted to all the bright pretty colors. The owner, an elderly tiny French woman with a headset of gray curls, walked over to Tobin with a big smile. 

"American?" She said in a very thick accent as she nudged Tobin's arm. The lady was half as tall as the middy which was part of the reason why Tobin felt at ease with her. Like she had seen this woman before.

Tobin nodded. "Oui."

The French woman nodded and smiled. She dragged Tobin to a nearby isle that shelved white lilies. 

"You like?"

To Tobin's surprise it was her favorite flower. But how did the woman know?

"Oui." Tobin nodded as she smiled from ear to ear. 

The French woman grabbed a handful and made her way towards the front cashier. Tobin followed right behind her. The woman clipped what looked like the end of the stems and wrapped pink ribbon around to bundle the lilies up.

"You like?" She asked once again.

Tobin nodded, she wasn't planning on buying flowers when she decided to walk into the shop. But she just couldn't refuse the owner. As the French woman rung up Tobin's things she sneaked into the back of the shop and told the midfielder she would return. She needed to add something else she said of course in French. Parts of which Tobin could understand.

As Tobin stood at the cashier her phone buzzed. Automatically assuming it was Laure to ask where she had gone, she picked up the call without looking at the screen.

"Hello?"

\-------------------------

(9 hrs before in Portland)

It's not a big deal. It's not. Alex kept repeating these words in her mind as if she was an actor trying to remember lines from a script. It's not a big deal. I'm just gonna call her and ask. Just ask..really quickly. Not a big deal. Just gonna ask and wait for her answer. If she says yes, awesome but stay calm. And if she's not, then that's fine too. Respect her decision. We're supposed to be taking our time. Alex rolled her eyes at the very last thought. Exactly how much time did they need?

And like that Alex picked up her phone waiting for Tobin's answer.

\---------------------

"Hey." 

Tobin's mind went blank startled at the voice. It wasn't Laure for sure. It was raspy and sounded glum. 

"Alex?"

"Hi. I know it's late. Is this a bad time?"

"No no." Tobin uttered. "Its only 9 here."

"Ok good. I know you probably don't wanna talk right now to me at least. And I know what you're gonna say tha -

"No no. I wasn't gonna say anything. I figured it'll be a while the next time I heard from you."

"Yeah - that phone call was not what I was expecting Tobs." 

Tobin sighed in relief. "No me either." She said back through a half smile.

Alex could practically sense the smile that appeared on the middy's face. 

"Saw the Chicago highlights. You had a great goal."

The fact that Tobin watched Alex's games made the striker's heart flutter. Of course she would still care. Tobin was great at that in their relationship. Always supportive, whether it was saying the right thing or making Alex laugh to lighten the mood, she always wanted the best for the striker. Tobin was never someone that wished the worst for anyone. Alex knew Tobin had possessed such a big welcoming heart. It was a quality that Alex tried to emulate even when they were just friends. 

"Thanks." Alex blushed. "I almost had a bad touch on the cross."

"Looked great to me."

Alex's heart was now soaring on cloud nine. This was how she wanted to talk with Tobin. This felt more easy.

"How bout you? How's Paris?"

"Mm, I don't wanna talk soccer right now."

"What happened?" 

"Nothing. Just had a bad practice."

"That's ok Tobin it happens. Doesn't mean you're gonna have a bad game."

"No I know." 

Tobin was suddenly comfortable as she leaned one hand onto the cashier counter. She didn't seem nervous or stuttered her words. And she actually could pull out a couple of complete sentences. It felt like they were talking as if they were back home on their couch in Rhode Island. Except this time Alex was oceans away and Tobin didn't have her arm resting over her girl's shoulder while she would place light pecks on the striker's hand.

"Well I did have a reason to call." Alex confessed.

Tobin's ears perked up in apprehension. "You ok?"

Alex's heart raced a little. She had to be confident and not shy at all.

"Kelley asked me about the concert thing..."

Immediately, Tobin rubbed the back of her neck in anticipation for what the striker would ask next.

"I don't know if she spoke with you or anything..."

Tobin couldn't answer.

"...but anyways. I told her I would go."

Silence.

"...because we agreed to it so long ago." Alex said trying to quickly recover her tracks. 

Silence. 

What was Tobin supposed to say? Of course she wanted to go. She missed the contact of Alex's touch. She missed being face to face with her and hearing her voice in person and her blue eyes and the way she tugged onto Tobin's shirt whenever they were in crowded places. She missed everything. And by the sound of Alex's voice it seemed like her girl missed her too. 

"Tobin?"

"Tobin!"

The midfielder turned around to find Laure standing right behind her. 

"Found you."

"Tobin?" Alex questioned again. Apparently, Tobin wasn't by herself the striker quickly put together. 

"You ready to go home?" Laure asked. 

"Hey Al,"

"It's ok you gotta go."

"Yeah." Was all Tobin could say. 

Alex, dejected, nodded her head and pouted her lips. Her eyes began to tear. "Ok. So I'll let you go." 

Tobin wanted to say more. Much more. But the phone cut off on the other end. 

"Ohh that looks so pretty!" Laure said.

Tobin averted her eyes into the direction Laure was looking at. The French woman had returned to the cashier with a handful of purple Dahlias wrapped in a white ribbon. Tobin just stood there in such shock. It was Alex's flowers. How did this woman know?

"You like?"


	9. Ch. 9

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Kelley was packing up her bags for the weekend. The LA trip was finally here and she couldn't have been more excited. Technically, it would only be a 2 1/2 day trip but a break was still a break nevertheless. Kelley was digging through her closet trying to find her favorite pair of Levi's denim jeans that she swore she had packed for the season. That was until she heard Alex's voice yelling through the speaker phone.

"Kelleyyy!"

She had forgotten the striker was on the other end.

"I can't find my favorite jeans!" Kelley whined.

"Which one?"

"My Levi's."

"You have so many Levi's Kel, you're from Georgia."

"But this was my absolute favorite."

Alex rolled her eyes as she too was packing in her room from Portland. "You always say that."

"No but seriously, this one was my favorite!" Kelley emphasized. "Ask Allie."

"Ok hold on."

Alex turned her head to her bedroom door she left wide open. Allie was also packing for the trip. She was in a great mood because Jose had decided to change his mind which meant it would be just the girls.

"Allie! Kelley wants to know if you have her jeans!" Alex yelled out.

Allie paced back and forth in the hallway passing by the strikers room clothes in hand.

"I'm like two feet taller than her. I don't have her clothes."

"Allie we're gonna be there for like two days. You don't have to pack everything."

Allie stopped at her door still with a handful of clothes. She gave Alex a dumb look as if she couldn't catch the hints Alex was dropping.

"I know." She said. Then continued on to her room.

"She doesn't have it."

"Damn it!" Kelley hollered as she threw dirty clothes across her room. 

Alex laughed through the speaker. Then Kelley's phone beeped signaling she had another call on the other end. It was Tobin. 

"Hey hold on Al. It's my sister I gotta take it real quick." Kelley lied.

"Ok." 

"Tobin?"

"Hey."

"You know I've been trying to reach you right for like the past couple of days!"

"Yeah I know."

In fact, Tobin did receive all 8 missed calls from Kelley and a couple of voicemails. And they were all asking one thing.

"Tobin you better be going!" Kelley demanded.

"I need a favor Kels." Tobin said so softly.

Kelley couldn't help but give in to her best friend.

"Yeah?"

"The present I got for Alex do you still have it?"

"Ummm..." Kelley sprang up from the floor and jolted to her drawers. She pulled out the gift kept in a white box that was wrapped in a pretty pink ribbon. Kelley sighed in relief. "Yeah I do."

"Good. Well just make sure you give it to her."

"Tobin are you fucking kidding me?" Kelley's facial expression had gone from frustration to downright furious. "You said you were coming."

"I told you I was thinking about it."

"Which means you're coming! Tobin why are you bailing now!"

"I didn't say I wasn't going."

In truth, Tobin was staring at her already packed luggage. She was holding her flight ticket in hand.

"Why can't you give her the present? It would be better."

"Because..."

Tobin couldn't answer. She didn't wanna lie to her best friend but she also couldn't come up with a reason why. In honesty, Tobin couldn't even describe the feelings she's had ever since she spoke with Alex the first time around. Her thoughts were now clouded as ever. This trip had come out of the woodworks and had made Tobin even more confused. 

"Because what?" Kelley asked persistently. 

Tobin sighed. "Please Kel, can you give it to her. Just make sure she has it this weekend. Please."

Kelley was livid. It was only then did she really want to confess how she really felt about this whole separation. In her heart, she knew Tobin loves Alex. It was that simple. Wether they were miles apart or not, she knew Tobin wanted nobody else than Alex. And as for the striker, the feeling was mutual. Why they were taking a break Kelley didn't know. It just seemed pointless to her. But when Tobin told her the news she didn't ask any questions. Tobin was always level headed. Always doing the right, no the good thing that her heart was telling her. And when Alex told her the news she tried to be as supportive as she could be to the striker. In all honesty, Alex had taken it quite worst in Kelley's opinion. 

"So you're gonna give it to her?"

"I'll hold onto it. If you don't show up I'll give it to her."

"Damn it Kelley. I'm asking you for a favor and then you turn around and give me an ultimatum." 

Kelley laughed. "How about that." She said ever so proudly.

Her phone beeped again. Alex.

"Look I gotta go Tobs." And like that Kelley had cut of Tobin leaving her in a compromising situation.


	10. Ch. 10

The sun was out and shining as the air was warm. Spring was still in blooming effect. It was the perfect weather for a fun all girls weekend. Ali and Ash got to the LA beach house first, the same house that Tobin, Alex, and Kelley had shared when they were in training camps. They got to pick out Allie’s room since she would bunk with Alex. Ashlyn was carrying most of the luggage as she dropped each and every one right on the bed and ran out. She was looking at their backyard view as it outlined the horizon of Manhattan Beach. The waves were breaking in and not to mention some pretty girls laying out on the beach strip working on their tans. Ashlyn ran into the living room to find Ali. Her girlfriend was playing around with the speakers as she plugged in her ipod. Seconds later Taylor Swift’s 1989 album blasted throughout the house. 

“Ali we gotta head out to the water right now!” Ashlyn exclaimed.

“Baby we gotta wait for the other girls. And Syd hasn’t called me back yet.”

“What if I just go out for like five minutes? The beach is practically in our backyard.” She whined trying to convince Ali.

But Ali just shook her head, the girl wouldn’t budge. Just then the front door swung open.

“I’mmm here!” Sydney sang as she gracefully walked into the house.

“Eeeee!” Ali gleefully shrieked. 

Ali and Syd engulfed in each other as Ashlyn wrapped the two in a bear hug. 

“Is everyone else here yet? Syd questioned.

“Nope, we’re the first ones here.”

“Where the hell is my roommate?!”

Ali laughed. “Kelleys on her way with Alex and Allie. Her flight stops in Oregon before LA.”

“Ok.” Syd then turned to Ashlyn. “Well are you gonna grab my bags?”

Ashlyn gave the biggest stink eye and obliged. 

\-------------------------------------------

A few hours later Alex, Kelley, and Allie had all arrived as the cab pulled to the curb. Alex got out to pay the driver as the other two were grabbing the luggage out of the trunk. The trio walked into the house in giggles and excitement.

“They’re here!” Ashlyn yelled out from the living room.

Everyone said their hellos and before they knew it, they were all in the kitchen in bathing suits drinking margaritas that Sydney, Ali, and Allie had made. 

“We probably missed the best morning waves.” Ashlyn turned to Kelley who was practically downing her first margarita.

“No worries! We have the rest of the time here to catch some.” 

“Guys do we need another batch?” Syd asked as she was already cutting more limes. 

“Yessss!” Ali cheered on.

A few hours later the 6 girls was already complacent in their circle they created for themselves on the beach. Ashlyn and Kelley were in the water playing around and going for a swim. Allie, as usual, busied herself taking selfies with Ali and Alex. Syd was glued to her phone while she posted fun tweets. Kelley and Ashlyn were now a little far out from the shore treading water. They watched on seeing young cute surfers ride some waves.

“Ahhh! Killer.” Kelley jeered on.

They continued like this for a while. Then Ashlyn got bored and turned back to face Ali to check on what she was doing. Kelley caught sight and utilized it as an opportunity to tease the goalie.

“Keeep it in the pants.” Kelley bellowed out.

Ashlyn splashed water at Kelley playfully.

“So glad Im rooming with Syd!” 

“Ha. Ha. Hey so what the fuck man. Is Tobin coming? She didn’t text me back.”

“I’d rather avoid that conversation.” 

“You’re not the only one.” As Ashlyn turned back to the shore. The girls were now up and splashing each other as they were wetting their feet close to the shore.

“Look, just do me a favor. If you see Alex getting all sad and ya – know just try to make her forget about Tobin.”

Ashlyn burrowed her brows in confusion.

“I meant just for the weekend. Look she needs it.” Kelley explained.

“Well how long is this separation supposed to last?”

“You’re asking the wrong person.” 

Kelley splashed Ashlyn one last time as she swam in the direction towards the rest of the girls. 

\------------------------------------

Tobin was in the backseat of her taxi as she looked out the window. Her leg was shaking in nervousness. She finally did make her decision. She was gonna see Alex. She was gonna tell her how much she missed her. How much of an idiot she was being not calling or checking up on her girl. She wanted the separation to be done with. She just wanted to be with Alex if only Alex could forgive her. The cab pulled up at the airport. Tobin, carrying the little luggage she had, walked to the American Airlines front desk to check in. She was fifteen minutes early as she arrived to her gate. There was a decent amount of passengers on the flight. Some even noticed Tobin as they were taking pictures of her and trying to make light conversation. In the nature of her shyness, Tobin apologized as she slowly started to refuse picture taking. But she couldn’t turn down, no matter how hard she tried, the soccer chatter that was now turning into a group discussion. Protest went on as people were starting to argue about the men’s French League which then turned into arguments about La Liga and then the EPL. Tobin quietly creep backwards and into the corner without anyone noticing her. The midfielder checked the time on her phone. What was taking so long?

\----------------------------------------------

An hour had already passed and no one had stepped one foot onto the plane. The soccer crowd had again sounded lively as their discussions turned into very heated arguments. There were a few French expressions that even the midfielder could make out. And would never repeat. Many of the passengers were getting tired and often raised their concern to the flight staff. Tobin tried to understand the main points out of the angry commotion that was going on in the background. It seemed like the plane was going under technical difficulties and the engineering team on call couldn’t estimate how much longer the wait would be. Tobin slouched in her corner seat isolated from the rest of the crowd. She didn’t make any fuss like the other passengers. Sooner or later she was going to see her striker.

\--------------------------------------------

“Hurry up and get ready girls! Pre-game!” Ashlyn shouted from across the hallway. All the girls room were wide open as the night was falling upon them. The concert was about to start in two hours or less and the girls weren’t even half ready. Alex was standing in front of the mirror of Kelley’s bathroom, fully dressed, as she was getting her makeup ready. This was the only moment of peace and quiet she had to herself. Since the flight from Portland to LA, the wonder of a certain someone coming along for the trip lingered in the back of her mind. Though, she had to push it back as far as she could. She was supposed to be having fun with some of her closest friends. She owed it to herself. This was her early birthday celebration.

“Kelley are you ready yet?” She called out.

“I can’t decide on a top!” She yelled back from the closet.

Alex sighed impatiently as she stepped out of the bathroom. “I’ll help you.” The striker sat ontop the bed pulling out clothes from the last bag that the defender had left unpacked. The striker rummaged through what felt like hours and hours until her fingers grasped the shape of what felt like a box to the forward. She latched onto it and pulled it out revealing the same white box wrapped in pretty hot pink ribbon. 

“Should we be matching?” 

Alex hesitated. “What?” 

“Should we be matching!?” Kelley repeated.

The striker was now fiddling with the small box. This couldn’t be Kelley’s gift right?

“We’re all supposed to be wearing black and leather!” Sydney yelled out from across the hallways as she was curling Allie’s hair. Just in perfect time to answer for the frantic forward.

“Oh perfect. I can wear that black lace top.”

Alex couldn’t help herself. She let loose the ribbon and lifted the box lid. Inside was a small platinum Channel Set diamond ring. Again, the striker couldn’t help herself and slipped it onto her left ring finger. It fit perfectly.


	11. CH. 11

The striker marveled at the platinum ring that looked so perfect on her finger. At least it felt so right. This was definitely not Kelley's present for me she thought. But why would Kelley have it? Was she holding onto it for Tobin for the time being?

"Al?"

Alex quickly took off the ring. She closed the box and wrapped the ribbon back into its place as she had found it before. The striker threw the present in the luggage then covered it up with clothes.

"Yeah?"

"I think I look ok. But is this too much for a concert?" Kelley finally stepped out of the her closet. Alex checked out the defender's outfit from head to toe. She was dressed in black boots, black Levi's, and a revealing black laced top.

"You look great!" Alex responded just a little too quick. She was of course anxious because of her finding just a second ago.

Kelley perked one of her eyebrows up. "You hate it?"

Alex blurted out a chuckle relieving some of her nerves. "No really you look good."

Ashlyn then came peaked her head near the door and interrupted the girls much to Alex's liking.

"Are we freaking going now?"

\---------------------------

The concert was much more than the girls had expected. There were so many people. The Killers were amazing as they played most of their greatest hits. Before the concert had ended, there was a nice moment where the crowd sang along to Mr. Brightside with nothing but the acoustics of the keyboards.

The group was really enjoying themselves. Especially a certain someone. Before they had left the house they decided to drink just a little. Alex misunderstood the "little" part. She had quickly downed 3 vodka shots and drank half of her Jack and Coke. At first, the girls were surprised she had been so willing to get drunk on their first night especially with what was going on with her and Tobin. And Alex was a moderate drinker. But tonight that flew out of the window.

By the time the concert had ended Alex went from drunk to plain ol buzzed. She had been jumping and dancing around so much during that some of the alcohol effects had rubbed off. They got back to the house after their late dinner still excited from the night. Dance music blasted again through the speakers filling the air all throughout the house. Syd and Ali continued to make their killer margaritas from this morning. Kelley was whispering next to Allie on the couch as they both watched Alex horseplay around with Ashlyn.

"Well well well, the old Alex came back out to play." Kelley whispered.

Allie grinned. "Good! She has been so depressing lately."

They chuckled.

"I bet. Maybe you should just get her drunk more often."

Allie turned slightly to Kelley with a sassy look on her face raising her glass to hers. They both toasted and then heard Ali shriek from the kitchen.

"Babe what the hell?" Ashlyn questioned.

Ali practically skipped into the living room with Syd following behind her, a pitch of brand new blended margaritas in hand.

"So Kyle is near the area and he's bringing a bunch of his friends over to the house. Is that cool?"

Everyone cheered in agreement . Everyone loved Kyle.

\----------------------------

Are you freaking kidding me? Tobin thought as she heard more bad news. Her flight had just landed from the hour and a half delay back in Paris. Passengers were surrounding baggage claim in sheer frustration. AirFrance hadn't released everyone's luggage because of technical difficulties again. Tobin couldn't help but laugh to herself in annoyance. She looked at her phone. It read 12pm. It was midnight already? Tobin thought. So much for the concert.

\-----------------------------

Turns out Kyle knows a lot of people in LA. There must've been 40 or so people in the house. Everyone scattered in the living room or in the kitchen. Sydney and Ashlyn were joking around with Kyle's gay coworkers. Allie, Alex, and Kelley were dancing in the living room with the crowd. While Ali and Kyle were laughing and catching up showing how cute their brother and sister relationship really was. The music must've even got louder because it overwhelmed all the chatter going on.

Alex was in between drunk and buzzed which meant she was having a good time. For a while now, she had been dancing with the girls forgetting a certain someone wasn't there. Kelley had noticed it too. She clearly wasn't at Alex's level drinking wise. The defender excused herself from dancing as she walked towards her room to fix her hair. It was getting way to humid for the southern girl.

Kelley had put her hair in a cute bun as she was exiting her room. Till she noticed her luggage on the bed. I didn't leave it there she thought. She walked to the bag and realized it was all the way open. In a quick second she looked through the bag and found the present still wrapped. Whew. The defender relaxed a little. Then a very loud Ashlyn walked into the room surprising her.

"Boo!"

Kelley jumped. "Don't. Do. That!"

Ashlyn bursted into laughter. She walked towards the defender and what she held in her hand.

"Pretty." Ashlyn pointed to the box.

"Not mine." As Kelley was trying to place the present back into her bag.

"Whoah whoah. Wait a minute. I wanna see."

"Fine. But just a quick peek."

Kelley and Ashlyn hovered above the present closing the space just in case someone came into the room. As Kelley lifted the box lid her mouth dropped. Ashlyn just laughed.

"There's nothing in there."

\------------------------------

It was almost one and passengers were finally getting their luggage. Tobin was the last few to leave baggage claim. Already exhausted and jet lagged, she waited on the sidewalk for her taxi.

\-----------------------------

Alex had started to drink just a little bit more. It wasn't until Allie had to give her some water to calm down a bit. The striker thanked her friend then grabbed her hand and proceeded back to the living room for more dancing. Meanwhile, in Kelleys room the defender was freaking out.

"What. The. Fuck."

"Where's the present?"

Kelley just gave a dumb look to Ashlyn. Seriously. Ashlyn just shrugged.

"It was in the box when I left Jersey."

"Ok. So where is it now?"

"I don't know!" Kelley freaked.

"You sure it was in the box before you left?"

"Yes! I know it was. I made sure because as soon as I hung up on Tobin. I opened the box and looked at it."

"Why do you have it? Tobin's not even coming."

At this point, Kelley quickly shut the door and locked it. She turned to Ashlyn in desperation.

"We need to find it."

Ashlyn chuckled. "Now?"

"You don't get it. That present is important Ash I mean like important adult life altering important."

Ashlyn shook her head in confusion trying to understand what the defender had meant. "What?"

"It was an engagement ring!"

"What?"

Kelley just nodded her head frantically. Then she dumped everything out of the bag. Looking through the pile of clothes hoping the ring must've just fell out of the box. No luck. And no support either from Ashlyn's end as she stood there chuckling under her breath.

"What is so funny?"

Ashlyn shrugged her shoulders. "It's the alcohol." She proclaimed.

Then the idea hit Kelley's head like a light bulb went off. Alex. She must've taken it.

"What?" Ashlyn asked.

"I think Alex took the ring."

Ashlyn again bursted into laughter. "This is getting better and better."

"She must've went through my bag before, saw the box and opened it. Shit Tobin's really gonna flip her shit now."

"Why don't we see if she's wearing it? And if she's not then she didn't take the ring."

"I'm positive she did! I didn't lose the ring Ash I know!"  
\--------------------------------  
Alex and Allie had practically danced throughout the whole night. They were pretty much the center of attention in the dance crowd. Guys were practically throwing themselves at the striker. The striker hadn’t even noticed. She danced with so much freedom, nothing was holding her back. Allie would have to sometimes sandwich herself in between guys that were getting a little too close to the forward much to Allie’s disliking. Sydney also had to jump in making sure her buddy wasn’t getting herself into trouble. The girls were thoroughly enjoying the night. Then Sydney led Alex and Allie into the kitchen to find Ali and Kyle still mingling amongst themselves. Ali offered the girls more margaritas.

“Did anyone see Ash?” Ali asked worried.

“I think I saw her in the hallway and then I lost her.” Allie replied.

Suddenly, the kitchen began to over pack with tons of people. The girls were giggling amongst themselves when they were forced into the corner near the sink.

“This got out of hand real quick.” Syd said with mild laughter.

Alex was leaning onto the kitchen counter for support as she was slightly tipping the line of being absolutely butt faced drunk. She hadn’t noticed the small shards of broken glass from a Heineken bottle that was left near the sink. The glass had cut the bottom of her palm. For someone not under the influence the pain would’ve initially alarmed the body’s senses. For Alex, it wasn’t the cut that did it. It was the midfielder who walked through the front doors.


	12. Ch. 12

What the hell? Was all Tobin could think. She saw the sea of people crowding the house in their drunken state as music blasted in her ears. I don’t remember planning a party Tobin thought as she slowly made her way into the chaos. A few people recognized the midfielder and shouted “PSG! PSG!” in repetition. Tobin couldn’t help but chuckle and nod in their direction. Kelley and Ash had left the defender’s room and made their way back to the party. At this point there must’ve been more people because they could barely notice the girls. They were in the middle of the living room their eyes trying to find a certain striker as Ali yelled from the kitchen. 

“Ash!”

Quickly, Ashlyn turned her head in the direction of Ali and led Kelley and herself towards the kitchen. That is until they stopped midway as they bumped into the French player amongst the crowd.

“Hey.” Tobin said with a huge smile on her face.

Ashlyn stood there in shock but not as much as the defender who was standing right next to her.

“What are you doing here?’ Ashlyn asked right away for Kelley.

Tobin just chortled. “What?”

Kelley couldn’t move. She just stood in place. 

Ashlyn shook her head as if it would immediately shake her out of her drunken state. “I was just kidding.” Ashlyn said covering up her ass as she pulled the middy into a hug. “Here I’ll take that.” Ashlyn grabbed Tobin’s carryon. 

“Kel?” 

Ashlyn practically pushed the defender into the middy. 

“Shit.” Kelley murmured under her breath as she hugged Tobin’s waist.

“What?” Tobin asked letting go of the defender.

“Nothing. You’re late!” 

At this, Ashlyn hollered in laughter. Her cheeks hurting.

Alex stood in shock. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach. It wasn’t until minutes later she noticed her hand was bleeding from her cut.

“Oh shit.” 

By this time the girls had already watched the entire interaction from across the room between the midfielder and Kelley and Ashlyn. They were stunned by Tobin’s entrance. Sydney looked back at Alex who was just staring at her cut. 

“Alex you’re bleeding.” Sydney stood in front of Alex and wiped away the blood with a paper towel.

“It’s small. It’s nothing.” The striker said as she looked away from the middy and focused strictly on her hand. She was not prepared to see Tobin. Not in the state she was in. Her heart was racing and her mind was bouncing from thought to thought. Sydney could tell Alex was panicking as she listened in on the striker’s heavy breaths. 

“You good?” Sydney whispered only for Alex to hear. At least she thought so.

“You ok?” 

The voice carried out in Alex’s mind. In one swift move Alex lifted her head locking eyes onto hazel brown ones. Tobin was standing over Sydney’s shoulder her face showing real concern. 

“You ok?” She asked again this time her eyes pointing to the cut.

The amount of unimaginable tension was undeniable. It could cut through glass. Sydney continued to wipe away the blood as the other girls stood around stupidly too entranced to look away. 

“Does anybody wanna dance?” Kyle asked to break the ice. 

But the girls didn’t reply, they continued to watch. That is until Kyle fake a coughed to get Ali’s attention.

“Yeah, I’ll dance.” Ali replied grabbing Kyle’s and Ashlyn’s hand. 

“Uhh, I’ll put your things in Kelley’s room Tobs.” Ashlyn said aloud as she was being pulled away.

“Yeah I’ll help her!” Kelley responded as she pulled Allie along with her.

Tobin didn’t leave her eyes off the forward’s cut. For Alex, it was the exact opposite. She couldn’t stop staring at the middy. She couldn’t believe she was seeing Tobin in person. She was sure she wouldn’t have shown up. 

“Umm – since everyone else left.” Sydney threw away the bloodied paper towels and walked away from the two. Not before she winked at Alex and turned around pinching Tobin playfully at her arm leaving the two to confront one another. But before Tobin could close the space in between, a strange drunk girl walked up to Tobin grabbing the middy’s arm. Tobin’s body shifted towards the pretty stranger.

“You play in Paris right?” She asked flirtatiously.

Alex scoffed at the interaction and turned her body to the sink. She turned on the water as she tried to wash off the blood. She could hear the drunk girl shamefully flirt with Tobin asking her about how living in Paris was and such. Alex’s blood boiled hot inside. Normally, she wouldn’t be this jealous but certainly the alcohol was taking affect. Tobin tried to shrug of the drunken girl but her flirtation was so persistent. It was just enough time for another stranger to interrupt them this time headed in Alex’s direction. A young handsome blonde walked up from behind Alex and offered to help clean the cut. Tobin’s eyes stayed on the striker as nonsense chatter filled her ears. Alex shrugged the blonde off and like that he disappeared. Alex turned off the water looking at her cut. In one hurried motion, Tobin loosely placed her hand on the forward’s waist making her body turn to face Tobin’s. 

“I can clean that.” Tobin said as she crept in closer to Alex. The gap finally closed.

“Ok.” Was all Alex could say. 

And like that Tobin led the forward out of the kitchen and into the bathroom their fingers intertwining.

\--------------------------------------

Tobin entered the bathroom first as she opened the door wide open waiting for Alex to pass her by. Alex slowly walked in and sat on the stool that was placed next to the bathroom sink. She watched Tobin shut the door and locked it. Her deep breaths were pacing now. The middy walked over to the cabinets looking for their first aid kit. All she could find was band aids and alcohol pads. She opened a few of the alcohol wipes and reached out for Alex's hand. The striker hesitantly extended her hand to the middy. A smile slowly crept on Tobin's face reassuring Alex she wasn't going to hurt her. Tobin cleaned the cut and realized it was deeper than she had thought. She reached for another alcohol pad and began to blot away. Alex winced in pain making facial expressions like she had eaten sour candy.

"It's ok." Tobin whispered looking away from Alex.

Alex shifted her body on the stool. Her eyes were still lasered on Tobin taking in every detail she could. Even though she wasn't exactly in the right mental state. Tobin's hair was much blonder and her skin was more than fair. She looked so cute dressed in Nike sweats and in an off grayish hoodie with her hair in a loose bun. Alex tried to speak but nothing could come out as her mind raced. For Tobin, it was the same. She had to fight every urge in her body not to lunge out on the striker. She didn’t wanna be too head strong so soon. Tobin was even struggling to clean the cut as her body expression was shaking a bit in nervousness. As soon as Tobin finished cleaning the cut she placed a band aid on top wide enough to cover it. She was sure the forward needed at least a couple stitches just from the amount of blood that extracted from the gash. 

“We can get it looked at tomorrow if you want.” Tobin said pointing a finger at the cleaned wound. 

Alex just nodded her head. “Ok.” 

She said we Alex thought.

“What the hell happened to our first aid kit?” Tobin joked as she cleaned up her mess.

“I don’t know.”

Silence. The tension had now increased between the two. Alex did her best to sit still on the stool gripping the bottom of the base with one hand with all her might. Tobin, a few feet away, stared at the striker unsure if she should move any closer. Then a knock banged on the door. A deep drunk voice slurred out, “I need to piss!”

“Occupied.”

“Go away!” 

Tobin and Alex shouted in unison. 

“Fuck!” The voice yelled back and left the two at peace.

This made Alex laugh so much she almost fell off the stool. Tobin beamed hearing the striker’s laughter in ages. She smiled so big and too distraught from the moment of happiness that she hadn’t known she was now a few inches away from Alex. With her hand resting on Alex’s thigh. Tobin could feel the softness of Alex’s skin as the striker’s tight dress pinched together and curved upwards revealing more. Alex looked directly at Tobin whom was still looking at her legs distracted. Alex smirked. She had Tobin in the palm of her hands. Alex sat patiently until Tobin’s gaze met hers. When it finally did Tobin had nothing but a smug look on. There was absolutely no space in between now. Tobin’s hand stayed rested on Alex’s skin and the other hand gradually moved up on Alex’s other thigh. Alex shifted her body back a little and sat up straight. Their deep heavy breaths in sync. Alex bit her bottom lip and at the seductive moment Tobin aggressively placed herself in the middle of Alex’s legs as she lifted both thighs inches above the stool. Her hands gripping as tight as she could. Alex’s hands rested on Tobin’s stomach as her fingers caressed in a circular motion right above the middy’s bellybutton. 

“You missed the concert.” Alex whispered.

Tobin nodded. “My flight was delayed.”

Tobin could feel Alex’s breath on her lips. Tobin watched as Alex’s eyes averted onto Tobin’s lips. This was it Tobin thought. Im gonna have her now.


	13. CH. 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my last update until the next weekend...I think. But anyways, enjoy. Just a side note; this is all part of the story.

Alex's fingers rose up from Tobin's belly button to the middy's base of her neck. Her fingers traced circles playfully above Tobin's heart. It made Tobin tingle inside. Tobin still had her firm grip underneath Alex's thighs. The room was starting to get warm now. And in an instant, their lips met. The kiss started off slow but both could feel the passion behind it. Tobin pressed her body much firmer now against Alex. The stool legs was practically shaking, titling from side to side. Tobin let one of Alex's thighs go and planted her free hand on the stool for it to remain in its place. Alex moved her hands to wrap the back of Tobin's neck. Though, a second later Tobin pulled back slightly keeping her eyes on the striker's lips. She took in a deep breath. Alex stayed in place and whispered, "It's ok."

Leaning in, Tobin made sure this kiss lasted longer. Their lips moved in rhythm as if the time apart never happened. Alex let out a small moan when Tobin bit her upper lip. Still works. Alex's hand wrapped the back of Tobin's neck so strong Tobin couldn't help but press her body further into the striker. The middy lifted Alex up off the stool kicking it out of the way. And in one swift motion she pinned the striker against the wall with one hand near her head and the other in a death grip holding the forward's thigh. There was no stopping now Tobin thought. She had lost all control. The middy's lips kissed downwards reaching for Alex's exposed neck. She began to suck the soft skin so tenderly. This only made Alex moan louder now. Her hands let loose of Tobin's neck and gripped tight onto Tobin's hoodie. Seconds later, Tobin dropped Alex slowly making sure she wouldn't lose her footing. Tobin took off her hoodie and threw it on the towel rack. Alex was so entranced by the midfielder's behavior. She was never this aggressive during sex. Tobin took a step towards Alex with this wild look in her eyes. Goosebumps appeared on Alex’s skin. But the look just made Alex want Tobin even more. She tugged at the bottom of Tobin’s shirt with one hand and the other she used to comb through her hair all the while glaring seductively at Tobin. It was really starting to feel humid to the striker. Tobin didn’t look away either. She pressed her right palm on Alex’s waist even though she was pinned against the wall. Her other hand softly placed on the striker’s rib cage right beneath her breasts.  
“I love you Alex.” Tobin whispered right above the forward’s lips. 

Silence.

Tobin took a step back trying to lock eyes with Alex hoping she would get a response soon. But Alex didn’t respond the way Tobin wanted her to. Instead, her eyes looked away avoiding the hazel brown gaze. 

“What’s wrong?’ Tobin asked softly.

Alex needed to sit. No, she needed air. And now. Alex unlocked the bathroom door and walked towards her room. Tobin following behind her wearing a bothered expression. Alex went straight to her closet and changed to something a little more comfortable; spandex shorts and a loose t-shirt. Tobin closed the door and sat on the bed confused with the striker’s actions. 

“Alex.” Tobin stated. Soon she appeared from the closet fully changed and walked towards Tobin putting her hair in a ponytail. “You ok?”

Alex paced back and forth in front of the midfielder sitting ever so patiently. 

“I thought you weren’t coming Tobin.” Alex said truthfully.

“I know. Me either. But I wanted to see you.”

The way Tobin was staring at her made Alex weak in the knees. She could have her right now. But she couldn’t, not with the one thing she had on her mind.

“Why did you give Kelley that present?"

Tobin was quiet. Alex could tell she was thinking in her mind aloud to what the hell Alex was talking about. It took a couple of seconds for Tobin to finally understand.

“Kelley gave it to you already?”

“No. I saw it.” Alex then opened her drawer and pulled out the very ring she took from Kelley’s bag. She raised it in the light for Tobin to see.

“Alex…” Tobin started to feel skittish inside.

“Why did you give this to Kelley? For her to give it to me?”

“Yeah.”

“But you weren’t even gonna come. You still asked her?”

“Yeah. I wanted you to have it – at the time I didn’t know.”

“Why would you give me an engagement ring as a birthday present Tobin? Were you planning on this before?”

Tobin chuckled. “Nope. Was not planning on this.” She said sarcastically.

But Alex didn’t think it was so funny. In fact, she couldn’t describe how she felt at the moment. Seeing Tobin walk through the front door literally minutes ago, she couldn’t have been anymore happier. It had been so long the last time they were together in a room. And what happened in the bathroom just escalated so quickly. It was a blur to the striker. Not that she would complain about it. But at this very instance she was so confused and angry by the middy’s judgment. An engagement ring as a birthday present?

“Tobin.” Alex said sternly.

“I wanted you to have it. I wanted you to know that I still cared during this whole – ya know.”

“Yeah I know. Why did it take you so long to call me?”

Tobin stood up now. “I don’t know. But you never called either.”

“You didn’t want me to. You’re the one that asked for space.”

Tobin scoffed. She walked over to the chair across the room and sat on the ledge of the arm. Her hands interlocked and resting on her lap. “I cant believe we’re having this conversation again.”

“Tobin don’t.” 

“I didn’t want space Alex. That was the last thing I wanted.”

“You signed a year contract with PSG, without even waiting for me to talk about it.”

“You told me you couldn’t see yourself in Paris. That sounds like a no to me Alex.”

“After you asked me to quit Portland.”

“I never asked you to quit Portland. I would never do that and you know it.”

“That’s what it sounded like to me Tobin. Riley would never let me leave the Thorns.”

“Who gives a shit what Riley thinks? He has nothing to do with us.”

Alex made her way ontop the bed. “We weren’t even talking about this. I was just asking about the ring. Tobin you can’t just give me an engagement ring as a birthday present. And you asked Kelley to give it to me!”

Silence.

“I’m here now.” Tobin got up. She kneeled in front of Alex holding her hands, the ring on the striker’s palms. “Im right here Al.”

Alex gave Tobin a longing look. Her eyes were tearing. “Tobin, I’m not ready.”

“What?”

“For this.” Alex raised the ring from her palm.

Except Tobin didn’t look at the ring. She looked at Alex dismayed. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing from the striker. Even though Tobin hadn’t asked she would’ve never thought that Alex would turn her down. Her head bowed down hurt from the rejection.

“I don’t think we’re ready for this Tobin.” Alex was stammering now.

Tobin stood up slowly walking back to the chair. “Because of the break.” Tobin was so stunned from the abrupt events. Her body expression said everything her mouth couldn’t. “I didn’t mean to.” She said so apologetically.

“I didn’t want the break either Tobin. I thought we were ok.”

Tobin couldn’t look at Alex. She was too ashamed. Instead she looked down at her hands.

“I just asked you to come to Paris with me. Nothing more.”

“But you were really asking more from me Tobin. Like the house in Rhode Island.” A pause. “I cant just leave Portland – I don’t – want to.”

And like that Tobin stood up from the chair. She sternly made eye contact with Alex. 

“I guess I knew all of that. I just wanted to hear it out loud.” 

Alex, teary eyed, watched Tobin walk out and shut the door behind her.


	14. Ch. 14

Tobin stepped out into the hallway and headed back to the bathroom to grab her hoodie. Once she did, she roamed through the flooded living room of drunk people dancing. A few even reached out to grab the middy by arm quite abruptly to try and dance with her. But she wasn’t having it, she just nudged them off with only one thing on mind. She wanted to get the hell out of there. The midfielder exited the beach house from the backdoors in the kitchen not once looking back.

\--------------------------------

Alex was in full tears now as she tried to clean herself up in the bathroom. The same bathroom that she and Tobin had almost reconciled – well in the physical sense. The alcohol was still in the striker’s blood but it wasn’t having any effect the way previous events did. Suddenly, Sydney busted through the bathroom door not knowing that it had been occupied. 

“What the fuck is taking so long in here? I need to pee!” Sydney said giggling while tilting sideways her hand holding onto the door knob for balance.

Alex turned wiping away her wet face with a towel. 

“Oh shit.” Sydney closed the door behind her and approached her destroyed friend. “Are you ok? Where’s Tobin?”

Alex sat on the toilet lid. Her voice trembling. “I don’t know. She probably left.”

Sydney sat ontop the tub’s edge facing Alex. She brushed Alex’s hair trying her best to console her.

“What happened?”

Alex just shook her head small tears running down her cheeks. “I don – I don’t – know Syd.”

Sydney just got up and hugged the striker. She didn’t need to know anymore. Alex was hurt. She wasn’t in the mood to open up.

\------------------------------

The sun rose at exactly 5:42 AM. And so did Tobin. She rubbed her eyes awaking on the couch with just a small blanket over her. She sat up looking at the trashed living room, beer bottles everywhere. It was eerily quiet but this never bothered Tobin. She was always a morning person. She softly crept to the bathroom to get in a quick shower. All the girls had been so drunk from the night before that they slept through the noise. Tobin, newly dressed, walked into the kitchen placing her luggage on the floor. Her taxi was coming in no less than ten minutes to pick her up for her flight back to Paris. There was absolutely no way she could stay the weekend now. Not when she had been so rejected by Alex. She sat ontop the kitchen counter just staring at the wooden floor. Her mind blank. 

The sound of footsteps had made Tobin jump off the counter thinking that maybe it was Alex. It wasn’t. It was a sleepy Kelley, in her baggy sweats, walking straight to Tobin to give her a big hug. A hug that Tobin needed. She hadn’t even talked to Tobin since last night. Just that brief moment when she and Ash had run into the middy. The moment where Kelley was sure Tobin would murder her for losing the ring. Or so she thought.

“What the hell Tobin? Where did you go last night?”

She let go of Tobin and immediately could tell that the midfielder was distraught. Her body expression said everything.

Tobin shaking her head, “I’m gonna leave Kel. My flight leaves in like an hour and a half.”

Kelley folded her arms intently listening to Tobin. Her eyes were half open.

“You just got here.”

“No. Kel, trust me I have to. Alex doesn’t want me here.”

“Oh bullshit.” Kelley grumbled. “Did you see the way she looked at you last night?” 

“No Kel.” Tobin’s voice stern. “I’m not gonna stay. Alex – 

Tobin hesitated as the words were on the tip of her tongue. 

“…she doesn’t want a future with me. So…”

Kelley shook her head bewildered. “Wait what?”

“She saw the ring. And then we got into a fight.”

Kelley gasped. Now she was awake. “I knew it. Tobin she took it from my bag. I wasn’t even really gonna give it to her. I just said it to scare you.”

Tobin placed a hand on Kelley’s shoulder. “It’s ok. She saw it and…” Tobin sighed in disgust. “…well she saw it and didn’t like it. If she did, we wouldn’t be in this position.”

Kelley didn’t know what to say. She stood frozen thinking a loud in her mind as to what Alex was thinking about now. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Tobin who was already grabbing her luggage off the floor. 

“You’re leaving now?”

“Yeah. My cabs’ here.”

Kelley followed Tobin out to the front door. She hugged Tobin one last time, a little longer now knowing that this would probably be the last time they would talk for a while. Tobin would go back to Paris and hide. So she could forget and repress her feelings about Alex thousands of miles apart. Ignoring whatever would remind her of the striker. Which meant Kelley, everyone, and everything else. Tobin slammed the cab trunk as her bags were put away. Opening the backdoor, she faced back to Kelley who looked like shit, and waved her bye. Kelley waved back as the cab drove away further up the road.

\-----------------------------

PSG had won their next three games and drew the last 2 matches. All games were critical as PSG had earned a spot in Round 8 for the Champion’s League Cup. All that was standing was Montpellier, Lyon, and Glasgow. The team had been more than just focused, there was a desire and a hunger inside each player. The organization was growing as the fans increased as well. They stood in the stands every match cheering for every goal. Gasping at every tackle. Chanting the fun silly songs they created. The atmosphere in Paris was exhilarating. The fans could feel the momentum on their side and so did the team. They were sure the cup would be theirs to hold in the end.  
For Tobin, it was all she could think about. There was no room for distractions. PSG was so close. And Tobin had fit so well into the team. She had molded her spot on the roster every match and the results showed why. This was what she wanted. This was the reason why she was in Paris. At least, she had kept repeating that in mind and so she could believe it. And it worked for the time being. She and PSG had gotten so far. She couldn’t slip now. Lindsey also noticed the sudden turnaround about the midfielder. She could tell by the way she moved in practice. There was so much focus on the field from Tobin, so much intensity. Tobin was even striking the ball even harder, most times catching net. Lindsey, however, wasn’t complaining nor did she want to bring it up to Tobin. 

When Tobin came back sooner from the trip than Lindsey had expected she knew something must’ve gone wrong. But it wasn’t like Tobin wanted to confess either. Tobin was somberly quiet. She moved around lifelessly and for a while only spoke in short phrases. Lindsey had gotten the picture. She just wished Tobin would’ve opened up by now. But Lindsey understood, they were so close to winning it all Tobin didn’t need her breathing down her neck. Instead, she supported Tobin through the rough nights that seemed extra-long to Tobin. She sat making small talk when they would watch whatever was on tv. She stayed in with Tobin when the team wanted to go out for dinner or for a movie. Lindsey even helped Tobin dodge calls from Kelley, or Lauren, or Arod. It wasn’t easy but she had done it so many times she had sounded so repetitive to them that eventually the frequency in which they called lessened. 

\--------------------------------

Alex lied in her bed completely surrounded by the night’s darkness. She couldn’t sleep even from the Thorns double day training. She tossed and turned hoping to get comfortable and then finally getting some shut eye. But it was useless. She lied facing the ceiling with her arm over resting on her forehead. Honestly, there was so much going on in her mind. Well actually just two things; the season and Tobin. Portland had drew their last 2 matches and desperately needed the upcoming win against Boston who was coming into town to play in no less than a couple of days. If the Thorns secured a win their playoff chances would still be kept alive. And the way Alex was recently playing it would only help. She had so much energy on the field throughout the whole 90 minutes that it brushed off on the team defensively. Alex was the only offensive attacking option as far as they were concerned. But what was eating away at the striker was that for the most part it was because of Tobin. Anger turned into fuel and frustration turned into drive. But the heartbreak resulted into so many cold lonely nights. This was a different kind of feeling to Alex. She and Tobin had never been this bad, apart from the initial break. But this felt worst to the forward. It seemed like they would never get over this rut that they were in. The same conversation would play over and over in the forward’s mind taunting her. And she would feel the same terrible feeling in her heart.

At night, if it kept Alex from sleep she would remember silly moments that she and Tobin used to have. So she could hold onto the feeling and hope that it would be enough to drift off. And some nights it worked. This night was certainly an example of it. As Alex laid in bed her mind drifted off into daydream land. 

(Flashback)

She couldn’t believe Tobin had told her sisters and not her. It was her sisters after all. The striker sat in her seat impatiently on the flight to meet Tobin in Rhode Island. The midfielder had stupidly convinced her to spend a day in the tiny state before she gave the striker a big surprise in New York. Alex, thinking less of it, agreed quickly in more curiosity of what the big surprise was. But it wasn’t like she could refuse as Tobin had already bought the striker’s ticket. She had only been to Rhode Island once. And it was only for a short stay to meet Tobin’s grandparents who were lifetime residents. Alex smiled at the memory as her heart fluttered inside. That trip had been a very nice getaway for the duo and great timing as well. At the moment, Tobin and Alex’s relationship had gone from slow cautious dating to full grown passion between the two. Not that they hadn’t expressed their love before, but this was a new stage in their relationship. Alex wanted to meet Tobin’s entire family seeing how the middy had already met hers through birthday celebrations or on holidays. Tobin’s family was planning on a Heath reunion which meant all the relatives on the East coast. And Tobin had asked Alex to come along without any doubt in mind. 

The flight would be landing soon and Alex couldn’t wait to get off. She had been doing so much PR after the 2012 Olympics that she barely got to spend time with Tobin. I guess one day in Rhode Island wouldn’t be that bad she thought as her mind conjured up what fun things they could possibly do. Mostly, fun in bed activities as Alex smirked grabbing her luggage from the compartment above. The forward along with the rest of the passengers walked through the isle thanking the flight attendants, then through the tunnel and exited the gate. They scurried onto the escalators that led them to baggage claim and there she saw Tobin patiently waiting. Alex, delighted inside, walked up to the midfielder wearing a very large grin on her face.

“About time.” Tobin mouthed with her lips as she saw her girl approach her rather quickly. 

Alex blushed and hugged her girl around the waist. She rested her head on Tobin’s chest as her eyes lifted to Tobin’s brown ones.

“Should’ve gotten me an earlier flight.”

Tobin replied with just the squinting of her eyes and a crinkle in her nose. She kissed Alex’s forehead and grabbed her hand. Once they grabbed all of Alex’s luggage they hurried off to Tobin’s rental car. The entire drive Tobin was doing an excellent job being discreet on their plans for the day.

“So which hotel did you book?” Alex asked resting her head back on the seat as Tobin drove them.

“We’re not staying at a hotel.” 

“Ooh are we staying at your grandparent’s?! I love that house.” Alex cried out in happiness. 

Tobin chuckling, “No we’re not staying with them either. I think they’re in New Hampshire.”

Alex sat up looking at Tobin confused. Tobin glanced back at Alex and smiled. She could tell the curiosity was killing her. So she reached out for Alex over the console, their hands interlocked resting on Alex’s lap.

“So where are we staying?” Alex asked with a nervous laugh.

Tobin squeezed Alex’s hand tight all the while shushing lovingly at her. “It’s a surprise.”

Alex laughed out loud. She brushed the side of Tobin’s face with her thumb, which she knew Tobin loved. It was a repetitive thing Alex would do almost all the time. It made Tobin feel so comfortable and at peace. For Alex, it was simply second nature. 

“Are we staying at a Bed N Breakfast?”

Tobin tapped her thumb on the steering wheel. “Nope.”

“Seriously, where are we staying? Who else do you know in Rhode Island?”

The constant persistency made Tobin burst into laughter. “We’re almost there!”

“Babe, seriously you haven’t told me anything about this trip.”

Alex was pouting now. Tobin turned to face her but then quickly looked away. 

“No no no. No Alex.” Tobin lightly scolding her.

Alex smiled taken aback. Usually, the whole pouty thing works. The striker had found that it turned Tobin on quickly. But before Alex could retort back Tobin was already pulling into a driveway that Alex hadn’t recognized. She watched Tobin let go of her hand and get out of the car. The midfielder had picked out keys from her pocket as she opened the house’s front doors. Alex sat in the car more than confused. Seconds later, Tobin walked over to her side and opened the door for her girl.

“Tobin who’s house is this?”

“It’s a friends.” Tobin said as she just stood there holding the door wide open. 

Alex reluctantly got out and grabbed the rest of the luggage from the backseat. She followed Tobin inside. The house was small and quaint. Wooden floors everywhere and baby blue shutters surrounded the walls. There was only one floor with 2 bedrooms; the master and a guest. And there was only one bathroom but it was fairly big that you could have 5 people inside getting dressed if you wanted to. The kitchen was Tobin’s favorite as it was so open and felt like the heart of the home. It was designed directly across the living room and next to the small hallway. Tobin helped Alex take off the luggage she was carrying over her shoulders as the striker made her way to the kitchen doors. Her facial expression was in awe as the doors led to the small backyard that was nothing but open grass bordered by a wooden fence. Though the view was what sold it for the striker. It outlined the shingle sand beach and the horizon beyond its shores. It had been great timing too. Soft rain had drizzled onto the glass windows as the cold mist danced in and out of the grass just in time for sunset. Alex could feel Tobin’s hands on her shoulders, her body leaning into the striker’s back.

“You can’t get this stuff on the West coast.” Tobin softly whispered as she squeezed on Alex’s shoulders.

Alex chuckled and turned her body around.

“Well this is way better than a hotel.”

Tobin smiled. “I know. My grandparents saw this place and checked it out.”

Alex was folding her arms inwards to her body as Tobin wrapped her arms and engulfed her girl in an embrace.

“Are they moving? They have such a cute house. They can’t leave, they’ve been there forever.”

Tobin was looking down into Alex’s blue shiny eyes and shook her head. “No they just went roaming around one day and saw the For Sale sign outside. The realtor had an open house so they just walked in.”

Alex giggled through her smile. “They just walked in…”

Tobin nodded. 

“Thought you said this was a friend’s house. Since when did your grandparents have realtors as friends?”

A sly smile came about knowing she had been caught. “It’s a small town.” Tobin joked. 

Alex kissed Tobin quickly on the lips. They stayed there for a full minute until Tobin let go.

“How was your flight?” Tobin quickly said to change subjects.

“It was ok. Slept most of the time. “Alex said as she was able to wriggle out her right hand from Tobin’s embrace and brushed Tobin’s bottom chin delicately.

“You hungry?”

“I ate something small before.”

“I can call that place we went to last time, maybe they have take out.”

“Maybe after.”

Tobin smirked. “That’s my cue right?”

And in a quick sweep Tobin picked up Alex off the floor and swung her around in the direction of the hallway. She marched them to the bedroom. 

“Tobin I meant after unpacking!” Alex tried to wriggle free but it was no use. Tobin had wrapped her death grip on the girl.

“No no no Al. You said the magic words!”

One second Alex was being rushed while being carried towards the bedroom and the next her body stretched out on the mattress. Tobin’s head disappearing below Alex’s waist.


	15. CH. 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another addition. Sorry for the wait. I think there will be only a few chapters left.

And that was that, the Thorns were out of the playoffs after a loss to the Boston Breakers. Alex stopped at midfield from exhaustion dripping in sweat. It was a tough frustrating game. The first half started sluggish and slow but the atmosphere and energy that the home fans brought to the stadium was relentless. Although, it wasn’t enough for the Thorns in the second half. Reckless tackles came and went causing the ref to call a PK for Boston in which O’Reilly took and converted. Portland had so many opportunistic chances but never capitalized. Sinclair missed an easy header, Vero took a free kick that just went wide, and as for Alex well she tried to get past the Breaker’s back line but they were a complete brick wall. Alex was almost close to getting a yellow because she kicked the ball out of bounds after the ref clearly signaled a Breaker’s throw in. 

You could easily tell the crowd was disappointed as the stands were quiet and in shock. A few even left the game early. The athletes and staff had already made their way into the tunnel and to the locker rooms. The locker rooms was also quiet as the girls didn’t say much to one another, just a few hugs and some tears. Alex kept to herself after her long hot shower. She told Allie she’ll meet her at the apartment since her agent needed her to do the post-game interview. There were a few equipment and stadium guys that were part of maintenance still in the tunnel way after the game had ended, including the reporters. Alex could hear the Boston Breakers team celebrate and cheer from the other locker room as it echoed throughout the tunnel. Alex, dressed in Thorns gear, stood unenthusiastically answering question after question.

“Alex, did you feel that you guys couldn’t match the intensity of the Breaker’s?”

“No not at all. I felt that both teams brought it. We knew coming in that we needed this win and so we had to play desperately to secure a spot in the playoffs. Unfortunately, we didn’t come out with a  
win tonight.”

“How did you feel about the PK that was called?”

“Honestly, I didn’t see the foul. When my head turned back I saw HAO on the ground and the ref pointed to the spot.”

“Did you feel that after O’Reilly converted the PK that there was a still a chance?”

“Of course. We’re never out of a game until the whistle blows. To be honest, we had a lot of chances tonight we just weren’t successful in converting them into goals.”

Alex had thought she was done with the reporter’s questions until one had caught her by surprise. 

“Alex, do you feel that if Tobin Heath was back into the roster that things would’ve have been different tonight?”

Alex looked straight into the reporter’s eyes.

“Wel – uhhh – I mean, of course having Tobin, the player that she is, would make a difference.”

“Do you think having her in the beginning of the season would have turned things around? I mean, do you think that you guys could have secured a playoff spot much earlier than being in the position  
you guys were in tonight?”

Alex’s eyes looked away and focused on the ground. 

“I think that we should have won tonight and we know better than to put ourselves in this position.”

“Finally Alex, are you and your teammates keeping up with PSG? They won last night’s match against Lyon. It was a great game that ended in a 2-1 win. Heath had both assists.”

This was news to Alex. Ever since that night she had tried to put Tobin in the back of her mind. It hurt too much just to say her name. 

“Actually, I haven’t seen much of the game to be honest.”

“Alex, the USWNT will be playing against PSG and New Zealand in a couple of weeks. Do you think you guys will be ready for one, a physical game and the other much more of a technical strategic game?”

“Well, I think we’re heading into New York soon for camp so I can think about preparation then but for now my mind is still distraught from tonight.”

Alex finally left the stadium in relief and in exhaustion.

\------------------------------

“Allez, allez, allez Paris!” The crowd erupted in a unison chant. The game against Lyon was crucial and exhilarating. It was very fast paced as they faced their arch rivals. Every time PSG ran the counter attack the crowd erupted in a loud manner. This was probably the most fans Tobin had seen in her soccer career. And it was, as a reporter finally told Tobin that it was about 50,000 fans that flocked to the game. Tobin was the first player that the reporters wanted to interview. Heath had a great game recording both assists to Lindsey and Georges. She was the engineer of the midfield and it was spectacular.

“Tobin, why was it so easy to counter attack against Lyon who typically holds defense very well in the midfield?”

“Well everyone was making the right runs and I could find them in the pockets of space. Especially Lindsey and Georges who just basically stretched the back line the whole night.”

“You also had quite the pace tonight Tobin. Most of the night you made excellent runs in the middle. Were you surprised that you didn’t play on the wing?”

“I’ll play wherever the team needs me and hope that I contribute in the best way that I can.”

“Which do you like to play the most?”

“Honestly, I like both. Playing on the wings is a lot of fun but I enjoy playing in the middle too because it allows me to see other options.” 

“Tobin, are you hoping for your Thorns to win as they play for playoffs soon?”

Alex’s face immediately popped into Tobin’s mind. 

“Of course.” She said through a smile. “Thanks guys.”

And like that Tobin continued through the tunnel with her head down as she thought of Alex’s blue eyes.

\--------------------------

Allie was still asleep in bed when Alex woke up the next morning. In truth, Alex didn’t catch much sleep after the loss still stung in her mouth. Alex slouched onto the couch as she waited for her coffee to finish brewing. The smell lingered throughout the house. Back in Rhode Island the smell made Tobin perk up almost out of nowhere every time coffee was brewing. It was something Alex had gotten used to and grew to love. Then a buzzing vibration vibrated on the kitchen counter as Alex rose from the couch to pick it up.

“Hello.”

“Hey Al, it’s me.” It happened to be Terry, Alex’s manager.

“Hey Ter.”

“I knew you were up.”

“Yeah well I couldn’t sleep. What’s up?”

“You’re on the roster for the upcoming camp.”

“Ok awesome.” Alex nodded.

“I’ll email you the itinerary later this weekend. Camp isn’t for at least a week and a half so at least you have time. And I’ll meet you at the airport.”

“Ok.”

“Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“You didn’t tell me if you’re going back home? Were you planning on going back to Cali or…”

Alex hadn’t thought about it. Usually, around this time she would be going back to Rhode Island with Tobin. But now that they were in the predicament they were in she didn’t know if there was a home to go back to.

“Alex?”

“I haven’t thought about it.”

“Listen don’t sweat it. Stay in Portland if you want to alright.”

“Ok. Thanks Ter.”

“Alright, I’ll talk to you later.”

Terry hung up the phone and so did Alex. She could hear the beeping noise that came from the coffee machine signaling that it was done brewing. But Alex walked to her bedroom instead, passing Allie’s room who was still asleep. She opened her drawer where she pulled out the very ring Tobin had bought for her. She easily slid the ring onto her ring finger and studied how it looked on her. This was not the first time she had done this. Truthfully, Alex would wear it when she was alone. She didn’t have the courage to give it back to Tobin since she left LA that fateful weekend. Although, Alex didn’t want to give it back. She liked the way it looked on her and how pretty it was. Tobin’s taste for gifts was not the best which Alex thought was so adorable. One birthday, when they weren’t in a relationship, Tobin had gotten Alex a fish thinking it was a funny idea. But the striker had accidentally killed it in no less than a week. But this ring had really done it for Alex. More importantly, Alex didn’t want to return it because then that would really mean that they were over. And that was something Alex couldn’t – didn’t want to believe.

Since Allie wasn’t awake she wore the ring on her finger as she poured herself a cup of coffee. Then her phone rang again.

“Hello?”

“Hi Alex, its Reagan your realtor.”

“Ohh hi Reagan.” Alex sounded so surprised. 

“I know it’s been a while huh. I don’t mean to bother you. Are you flying right now?”

“No, no. Did you need something?”

“Well, I’ve been back in Rhode Island for a while now. The market has been very friendly. But anyways, in the past recent months a buyer moved next door to you guys.”

“Oh.”

“Well, the buyer wants to extend the house and so they finally have contractors right now up there to do the renovations. They need to do measurements and whatnot, god I have no idea what they’re doing actually. But they need you guys there just in case there’s a piping problem. Do you think you can make it? I’ve been trying to reach Tobin but the time difference is so hectic I’ve just been able to leave a message.”

“Yeah, it’s been hard to reach her lately.” Alex lied.

“So do you think you can be up there this week?”

Alex looked down at the ring. 

“Sure.”


	16. CH. 16

It was rainy, windy, and cold again back in Rhode Island. No surprise. Alex's lips we're practically numb when she stepped out of the airport. She arrived at home mid morning but the weather clearly didn't look like it. It felt like a storm was coming the way the sky looked so dark and grey. Alex threw her luggage immediately on the living room rug as she rushed to turn the heater to warm up the house. She made sure the kitchen doors were locked and the windows shut just like Tobin had left it before they went off to play soccer. They didn't have a fireplace because the house was too small and because Tobin didn't want to do all the cleaning knowing fully well Alex would never clean the ashes. The striker opened the kitchen shutters to let what little light was outside in. Once it was warm and toasty she took off her coat and her scarf just leaving her dressed in her Nike sweats as usual.

Hours had passed by slowly. It was now well evening and Alex was completely bored. She fell in and out of quick naps while the TV was left on as background noise. She kept looking over next door to see if her neighbor or the contractors were there in the driveway. But there was no one. Alex was not used to the house being this quiet. In the short amount of time that she and Tobin had lived together it was never quiet. Not even when they would have small petty arguments, they would make up so quickly that they would continue in a perfect balanced harmony. Meaning, they would always be doing something around the house or going out. Not even when Alex was home by herself, if Tobin had gone out somewhere, the striker never felt like she was alone in the comfort of her home.  
Alex’s stomach grumbled which thankfully reminded her to eat something since the last bite of food was on the flight here. She got and looked inside the fridge which of course was empty. There was just packaged cheese slices and old beer. The forward threw everything out and quickly wrote out a small list of groceries. She looked out the kitchen window checking if the weather had lightened up and thankfully it had. Though there was still a light drizzle. She made her way to the garage and waited for the garage door to open. Tobin’s Toyota SUV was still parked inside. Alex didn’t think they needed a car but Tobin wouldn’t let up. She wanted to be able to drive around the two on road trips to New York or to Boston. Which they never did, again work got in the way of it all Alex thought. When Alex was gone grocery shopping at the near local grocery shop she had missed an important call; it was Tobin’s manager who left a voicemail.

“Hey Tobs, it’s Jessy. I’m probably calling a little early so when you get this you’re probably home. Anyways, I forgot to tell you that I did find out the name of that restaurant in London. Yes ok, you were right it was the same one that sold that disgusting green bean soup. Lindsey ordered it for delivery. Still disgusting. Also, I emailed you the itinerary for next week. So I’ll meet you at the hotel in New York with the rest of the team. You’re gonna room with Lindsey so no big deal. Hmm. You know I keep thinking I’m forgetting something but it’s not coming to me at the moment. Uhhh – well anyways just make sure you call Reagan as soon as you get there. She didn’t give me a timetable of when the contractors are supposed to be there. Your neighbor should be there though, I mean hopefully. Well ok, so I’m gonna go. You need anything give me a call. Ohh – also I’m heading to New York much sooner I think. Greg wants to go see the Lion King show since ya know he cant get enough. Ok, call me back! Bye.”

\--------------------------

Alex shuffled through the groceries bags she brought in and placed on the counter. She looked at the time and it read 8:07PM. She didn’t think she’d be gone so long but seeing how the little girls were reacting in the store, following the soccer star up and down the isles, Alex couldn’t refuse to turn them down. So she signed each and every girl’s backpack, shirt, or took pictures with them. Alex was still starving and she didn’t want to wait to cook so she opened a small bag of chips and munched away. Now the rain was pouring harder and the wind was picking up as she could hear the gust smack against the windows. She was finishing shutting the window blinds and closing the curtains around the house and then stopped when she heard keys jingle inside the front door knob. Goosebumps appeared on Alex’s skin when the cold wind was let into the house as Tobin walked through the front doors. 

Tobin was half groggy and half-awake from the terrible flight she had from Paris to Rhode Island because of all the turbulence. She barely noticed Alex who was standing across the living room frozen staring right at her. Tobin threw the little luggage she usually had against the soft cushioned chair. She finally looked up when she noticed the lights were already on while she stared at the groceries on the counter. Then her eyes searched the kitchen to the living room. It was then when Alex made her way into the middy’s view with a very nervous half smile.

“Hi.” She said in a low voice.

Tobin’s body perked up but still stood in place. “Hey. I – how long have you been here?”

“I just got here this morning.”

Tobin nodded. “Oh.” Tobin turned her head around and shifted her focus elsewhere. Just anything to take her eyes off the striker for a second. Whatever she was feeling inside she couldn’t contain it not with the magnetizing blue eyes with a hint of sadness in them was staring right at her. “Well – uhh…is it ok if I’m here?”

Alex took a step towards Tobin. “Tobin this is your home too.” She said in the most obvious way.

Tobin let out an awkward laugh and nodded. “Uh – yeah. I just didn’t know you would be here.”

Alex was quiet. She couldn’t help but think that was a dig directed at her. And just the sense of coldness in Tobin’s tone didn’t help either. Tobin made her way to the groceries and started to put them away. Alex, confused as hell, didn’t think of anything to say back so she helped put away the groceries too. The duo tried their best to make sure they didn’t accidentally make body contact with one another. Which made the whole scenario that much funnier, like they were mimes running a show. But when their shoulder’s bumped by accident they just immediately apologized as if it were a big deal than it really was. Alex wasn’t hungry anymore as she sat ontop the kitchen stool unsure if she should sit in the living room or in the bedroom. A slight ounce in her heart hoped that Tobin had maybe wanted to say more to the striker, so she sat patiently watching Tobin make coffee. Alex rolled her eyes and chuckled under her breath as the sight. It was obvious that Tobin was rushing in dire need of the caffeine. I wonder what she’s thinking about Alex thought. The forward could tell that the middy was obviously in shock by Alex’s appearance just by all the ruckus that Tobin was making. She was making a mess like she had never made coffee before.

“Do you want help?” Alex asked to break the silence.

“No.” Tobin replied without turning her head. 

“Ok.” Alex said not helping but feel completely dejected.

Tobin finally cleaned up her mess as she dried off her hands. She could feel Alex’s eyes on her watching her every move. God, why does she have to be here Tobin thought silently to herself. What am I going to say now? This feels too awkward. It’s not like I can leave, that would just make things worse. While Tobin was entranced in her thoughts her eyes peered off to the red blinking light on the phone machine that was tucked away at the corner of the kitchen counter. 

“We got messages.” Tobin said as she pressed the play button.

“What?” Was all Alex could say not paying much attention. She too was buried in her thoughts.

“Hey Tobs, it’s Jessy. I’m probably calling a little early so when you get this you’re probably home. Anyways, I forgot to tell you that I did find out the name of that restaurant in London. Yes ok, you were right it was the same one that sold that disgusting green bean soup. Lindsey ordered it for delivery. Still disgusting. Also, I emailed you the itinerary for next week. So I’ll meet you at the hotel in New York with the rest of the team. You’re gonna room with Lindsey so no big deal. Hmm. You know I keep thinking I’m forgetting something but it’s not coming to me at the moment. Uhhh – well anyways just make sure you call Reagan as soon as you get there. She didn’t give me a timetable of when the contractors are supposed to be there. Your neighbor should be there though, I mean hopefully. Well ok, so I’m gonna go – 

The message cut off when Tobin pressed the erase button. Her body was now facing Alex who had an unwavering smile on her face.

“What?” Tobin asked bewildered.

Alex just shook her head the smile still on her face.

“No seriously.”

“Nothing.” 

Alex got up and walked to her luggage in the living room. She wanted to desperately burst into laughter after hearing the message. It was completely ironic the way things happened to end up in the moment. That Alex and Tobin were now at home but squirmed inside at the sight of one another too afraid to say what they were really thinking, what they were really feeling. Now there was just too much tension and so much awkwardness, which had been going on for so long now, just made the striker want to laugh from all the energy drained out of her emotionally.

“Alex?” Tobin asked as she followed the forward into the living room.

“Huh?” 

“You know I can go to my grandparent’s if this is too much…you know if you want me to.”

“Tobin, it’s ok. You can stay. This is your home as much as it is mine.” 

Tobin rubbed the back of her neck. “Ok. So I mean do you want the room then?”

Alex paused. Then in a real soft raspy tone she replied, “Why are you so nervous?”

Tobin tightened inside as she folded her arms across her chest. “I’m – no – not nervous.”

Alex just shrugged back. “Uh huh.” 

She headed towards Tobin who took a few steps back. Alex gave a devilish seductive look and reached out and grabbed Tobin’s arm. By this time Tobin had her legs against the chair that was covered in her luggage already hesitant to the striker’s every move. 

“Don’t be nervous Tobin.” Alex whispered. She had a firm grip on Tobin’s arm in one hand and the other placed wrapping Tobin’s neck. Tobin, however, was still reserved as she carefully watched Alex.  
She had no idea what was running through her mind it made her anxious a little but on the other hand Tobin was so turned on. 

“We – we uh – we still have a lot to talk about Alex.” Tobin courageously said not giving in to Alex’s antics.

Alex paused. Her body expression changed dramatically as she took in Tobin’s hand to hold onto. She looked at Tobin very carefully to make sure the middy was paying attention to every word she said.

“I know. But can we just not talk about it for one second.”

Alex brushed the side of Tobin’s cheeks with her thumb, Tobin’s weakness. 

“I missed you so much.” Alex whispered looking straight into Tobin’s hazel eyes.

Tobin lowered her arms to slowly make way onto Alex’s ribcage right underneath her breasts.

“Don’t you miss me?” 

Silence.

Tobin let out a heavy breath that felt like she had been keeping in since she walked into their home. Just the very sound of her raspy voice so close to her very own breath made Tobin hot inside.

“Tobin, don’t you miss me?” Alex asked again, but this time her eyes were averted onto Tobin’s lips.

Unexpectedly, Tobin’s grip on Alex’s tightened. She pulled the striker into her and then their lips met. For Alex, she kissed lightly wanting her lips to feel tender on Tobin’s. But for Tobin, she pressed firmly onto Alex. For a very quick second, Tobin had left her eyes open watching Alex completely entranced from the kiss. Alex pulled back her head slightly to find a smug look on Tobin’s face. Alex smiled back, her shiny blue eyes saying everything her body wanted to. Tobin reached in towards Alex’s lips but instead the forward placed her mouth right above Tobin’s ear.

“Do you miss me?” Alex whispered again.

Alex was lifted off the ground and into Tobin’s embrace. The striker wrapped her legs around Tobin’s waist and wrapped her arms onto the middy’s shoulders as she placed soft kisses on her forehead. Tobin carried Alex into the bedroom and sprawled her out onto the mattress. As Alex laid on her back she propped herself on her elbows watching Tobin shut the door. Alex’s breaths were jumping now as Tobin slowly walked up to the edge of the bed with a killer look in her eyes. She hovered above Alex’s body making sure the striker knew who the dominant one was. Alex couldn’t help but gaze at the look that Tobin was giving off. It was driving her insane. She never saw this look before not even when they were having sex. It was like a look that just seemed Tobin didn’t want to talk at all. Tobin was now pinning her own body down on the forward and latched onto the forward’s neck while sucking away the skin very tenderly. There it was again, Tobin being aggressive Alex thought. A shiver tingled throughout Alex’s body. Tobin’s lips moved down to Alex’s chest as one hand was gliding down Alex’s ribcage and the other was placed above Alex’s head, again proving that Tobin would be the dominant one tonight. Alex, not wanting to wait another minute, lifted her shirt off herself. Tobin, in control, teased the striker by avoiding her breasts and simply kissed softly on Alex’s stomach then laying a trail of soft pecks on her ribcage. Alex’s body heaved in and out at the very touch. Tobin then stood up on her knees and untied Alex’s sweats with no urgency ignoring the heavy panting breaths coming out of an impatient Alex. Yep, Tobin was in complete control. Suddenly, Tobin removed Alex’s sweat pants as she slid them down slowly so she could take a good look at Alex’s smooth defined legs. The midfielder threw the sweats down with absolutely no care at all as she placed soft kisses on the inside of Alex’s right thigh. Alex took in a deep breath. She now understood what being punished felt like. Tobin then looked up to meet Alex’s lustful eyes. She rested her forehead on hers while this time both her hands were planted into the mattress on either side of Alex’s head.

“I missed you so much.” Tobin whispered onto Alex’s lips.

Alex moved her hands and rested it on Tobin’s waist. “I love you Tobin.” She whispered back.


	17. CH. 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go, but I thought I'd give this to you guys.

There was a huge smile on Tobin’s face. “I love you too.” She replied. 

They kissed passionately, but Tobin could feel the urgency behind Alex’s touch. Just the way that Alex was squeezing so tightly on Tobin’s waist and the way her legs wrapped around Tobin’s hamstrings. But Tobin was the one in control. And so Tobin had the patience in her even though months and months of not being with Alex had always killed her at night. But seeing her again finally, in the comfort of their own home nevertheless, made Tobin want Alex even more. So the midfielder took off Alex’s bra leaving the striker completely vulnerable only for her to have. Tobin, again stood on her knees, took off her shirt as Alex unbuttoned Tobin’s jeans. Tobin let her as she watched. The middy was now paying attention to Alex’s heavy deep breaths. Now they were completely vulnerable to one another under the sheets. Alex’s tongue caressed the top of Tobin’s lip which made Tobin let out a small chuckle. Alex pulled back smirking at her girl. She missed the sound of Tobin’s laughter. Minutes must have passed the way Alex looked lovingly at Tobin. Tobin didn’t want to wait anymore, she placed kisses on Alex’s cheek then moved her lips onto her neck. When Alex moaned she squeezed onto Tobin’s forearms who were still planted into the mattress on the sides of Alex’s head. Tobin then licked Alex’s throat starting room the base of her neck. She squeezed Tobin’s forearms even harder and her lower body raised in the air towards Tobin’s body. Alex wanted it bad. The midfielder kissed lightly again on Alex’s stomach but this time her kisses were moving below the waist.  
Tobin’s lips kissed gently right at the very top of Alex’s vagina. Alex was looking down upon the top of Tobin’s head as it disappeared even lower. Tobin grabbed on the outsides of Alex’s strong thighs as she licked the striker’s vagina lips in a very slow motion. Alex started to become moist which Tobin could also tell but Tobin, with the amount of patience she had, continued to lick away slowly. Alex propped herself back on her elbows while her head dropped back facing the ceiling from all the pleasure she was receiving. Then Alex’s head jerked forward and back to the middy’s view at the playful bite she felt below her bellybutton from Tobin. Alex could hear Tobin chuckle under her breath as she looked back into Alex’s eyes kissing the very spot she bit for comfort. Since Tobin was surly being a tease she thought she’d make some trouble too. So Alex brushed the side of Tobin’s cheek with her thumb ever so gently then moved down to the middy’s bottom lip. 

“Bite me.” Alex demanded.

Tobin’s brows perked.

“Bite me.” Alex said again this time in a much raspier tone. 

Tobin was distraught from the sexiness of Alex’s voice and what she had demanded from her in the heat of the moment. But she obliged. She bit on Alex’s thumb and in the next minute Alex managed to pull away from Tobin’s bite and sucked on the very thumb whilst closing her eyes and her head leaning back. Tobin hovered above Alex’s lips as she watched the striker completely taken away. Tobin pulled at Alex’s arm which startled the striker so that she could kiss her lips passionately. They stayed like this what almost felt like an eternity. That is when Tobin’s fingers trickled down onto Alex’s chest, to her stomach, then barely touching Alex’s vagina. Alex let out a very loud moan her eyes closed and her hands squeezing onto the pillow she was resting on. 

“Lick me again.” Alex managed to breathe out.

Tobin, obedient, lowered her head as her deep breath whispered onto Alex’s vagina lips. Her tongue brushed against the moist vag. Then she figured Alex had waited long enough and so Tobin sucked at Alex’s pussy. The striker, reveled from the sensation, again lifted her body up and down in the air while Tobin was blissfully pleasing Alex in all the right ways. All Tobin could hear the heavy breathing and the raspy moans from her girl. She pulled away from the striker for a brief second to catch some air. She brushed her fingers onto Alex’s pussy feeling how wet she had made her girl. With a smug look on her face, Tobin kept playing with her fingers at the top of Alex’s clit. She then hovered back onto Alex’s as their bodies pressed together. Alex cupped Tobin’s face in her palms and looked directly into Tobin’s eyes. 

“I love you.” She whispered again in the sexiest raspy voice. 

“How bad do you want it?” Tobin whispered back in a very serious tone.

“Bad baby.” Alex replied brushing Tobin’s cheek.

“Tell me.” Tobin commanded.

Alex pressed her forehead against Tobin’s. “Tobin.” She replied almost pleading.

But Tobin wasn’t budging, her fingers still rubbing on Alex’s clit. “I don’t wanna be with anybody else Alex, I love you.” Tobin choked out as she sucked on one of Alex’s breasts.

“G – oood Tobin.” Alex whined out. 

Tobin then moved up again to press their foreheads together whilst looking into Alex’s blue eyes. She had never loved so much ever in her life nor did she think she would ever feel this way about someone. But looking at Alex in the very moment she was such in awe but it felt so right. “I don’t wanna make anybody else cum.”

“G – oood Tobin.” Alex moaned out again feeling so much pleasure and sensation she couldn’t really focus on the words coming out of Tobin’s mouth.

Tobin leaned on Alex’s ear and whispered, “You want to come right now?”

Alex nodded grabbing onto the back of Alex’s neck in anticipation. And in the next second, Tobin slid three fingers all the way into Alex’s pussy. They both moved in perfect rhythm. Tobin couldn’t help but smirk at the way Alex’s waist was grinding against her fingers at such an intense pace. Guess she waited long enough Tobin thought. Then Tobin could feel a burst of moisture oozing out of Alex as the striker’s waist slowed down. Tobin looked back at Alex to see the gratification on her face. For Tobin, that was all she needed. To see Alex completely satisfied turned Tobin on so much. Mostly because she was the main reason for it. The middy was brought out of her thoughts when Alex began sucking away at Tobin’s neck, even nipping at the skin. 

“Your turn…


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter. Here you go. Working on another series but that's coming later. Enjoy.

Alex couldn’t sleep just yet, not when her body could still feel the adrenaline from Tobin’s touch earlier in the night. So she stayed up as she lied flat on her stomach, bare, as Tobin drooped her hand loosely on the small of Alex’s back under the covers. The grin on Alex’s face wouldn’t go away as she listened intently to Tobin’s breathing and the rain drops pouring onto the windows. Everything just felt right, no – felt perfect. The striker couldn’t have known what the night had unfolded. From returning to Rhode Island to being so hypnotized by the caressing touch of her middy. She would have never predicted it, but nevertheless she wasn’t about to complain. Just the amount of love she felt in the moment made all the sense in the world.

\-------------------------------

Tobin awoke first, her hand still on Alex’s back. She could hear the striker’s heavy snores thinking that she must’ve slept late. The middy got up and took a short warm shower. As usual, she made coffee while she dressed. She would peek into the bedroom to see if the striker had woken up every now and then but the heavy snores gave away the answer. It was now 10 AM and Alex was still sleeping soundly. So Tobin, missing the soft skin of her blue eyed girl, walked back into the bedroom and crawled back onto the mattress. Bringing her second cup of coffee into bed with her, the aroma had done the trick. Alex slowly rose up, the side of her face imprinted on her pillow. Tobin had slid right next to her girl sitting at a 45 degree angle with the cup of coffee resting on her stomach. Alex turned to the delicious smell.

“Bout time.” Tobin joked.

“I miss waking up to this smell.” Alex said with a smile her eyes still slightly closed.

Tobin chuckled at the sight. She placed the cup on the nightstand next to the bed and laid half of her body gently onto Alex as she kissed her bare shoulder blades.

“Let’s do something today.” Tobin whispered in between pecks.

“What do you wanna do?”

“Anything you want.”

“Well is it raining?”

“Mhmm.”

“Then let’s not do anything. I wanna stay in bed with you.”

Alex turned her body so that she was resting on her left elbow and facing the middy covering her nude body with the blanket.

“I can stay in bed.” Tobin replied with a grin.

Alex caressed Tobin’s cheek with her thumb which made the hovering midfielder shut her eyes in content. 

“Baby?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you so much.”

Tobin reopened her eyes and kissed the striker lightly on the cheek all the while whispering, “I love you too.”

“I don’t wanna be apart anymore. I want this break to be over.”

Alex looked directly into Tobin’s eyes for reassurance. Brown hazel eyes looked back.

“I don’t wanna be away from you either.” Tobin rubbed Alex’s exposing right shoulder. “I never want you to leave Portland. I’d never ask you to do that.”

Alex nodded. “I know. I think I was so mad and hurt that you signed that contract without even talking to me first. I felt a little abandoned.”

Tobin wrapped an arm around Alex’s waist bringing the striker close to her for safety.

“I’m not gonna abandon you.” Tobin said sternly.

“And I want to be in Paris with you…”

Tobin smiled. “Alex, it’s ok if you wanna stay in Portland – 

“No I wanna be in Paris supporting you. I’ll sit in the stands just like everybody else.” Alex said cutting her off.

And just as Tobin was going to lean into the striker for a quick kiss they heard the doorbell ring. 

Tobin grunted through a sigh under her breath. 

“Don’t answer that.” Alex teased.

“I think that’s the contractors.”

Tobin kissed Alex quickly on the lips and began to sit up that is when Alex grabbed onto Tobin’s arm for Tobin just to fall back on the bed.

“Tobin, I’m serious.”

It only took one look from Tobin for Alex to know in her heart that the midfielder had listened to every word. That the middy wanted nothing more than Alex whether it was in Paris, Portland, or here at home. So Tobin, looking so lovingly at Alex’s blue eyes, kissed her gentle on the lips then a quick peck on her right cheek. And before she got off the bed to greet the contractors, she whispered into Alex’s ear, “Stay in bed.”

\---------------------------------

Alex finally got up and hopped into the shower despite Tobin's directions. She was wondering why the middy had been gone for so long. She got dressed and headed towards the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. Luckily, Tobin hadn't finished it all. Then she decided to go out and meet the new neighbors since she could see Tobin talking to the construction supervisor out by the sidewalk through the living room windows. It was warm out and so there was no need for her coat. But she kept her hands wrapped around the hot mug since she could still feel the slight breeze. Her new neighbors were a couple in their late 30's. The wife was holding her baby that looked like he was only 1 year old. Alex awed at the adorable face as she walked near the edge of their driveway waving the couple down.

"Hello!"

"Oh hi! You must be Morgan?" The wife asked.

"Alex. But really close."

"Oh I'm so sorry." The lady chuckled. "I'm Jamie this guy is James."

The baby boy had his eyes locked on Alex and attempted to curve his lips to make a small smile. Alex melted inside.

"Oh my gosh he's so adorable."

The lady laughed. "He's in a good mood this morning. Listen thank you so much for coming down this week. I was told you had a busy schedule."

"Ohh don't worry about it. I'm not so busy actually." Alex said with a bright smile.

"So it just you in the house?"

Alex shook her head. "No, my girlfriend is talking with the contractors right now." Alex pointed a finger out by the sidewalk where Tobin was still conversing with the supervisor.

"Ohh ok. That's right. You know what she is so great. Me and Peter were not ready this morning and we had no idea that the contractors were coming today. And she just took initiative. Tobin right?"

"Yeah. This place is her second home. We love it here."

The lady smiled with warmth. "I'm gonna grab Peter. He's somewhere in the back with the other guys. Do you wanna hold him? No pressure."

James eyes were still locked on Alex and this time bulged out a little. You could tell he was excited. Immediately, Alex agreed. So her neighbor walked over to their driveway and carefully handed James to Alex. The striker carried James so gently but with complete confidence that she could take care of him. While the mom went to grab her husband Alex stood in place swaying the baby gently back and forth. All the whilst still trying to curve his lips into a smile. Alex couldn't help but laugh in joy. Then suddenly, she felt the embrace of a soft touch on the small of her back. She smiled huge already knowing it had been Tobin. She locked eyes with brown hazel ones that were radiating with joy and happiness.

"Who's the competition?" The middy joked.

"James." Alex said in a cute baby voice.

"Hey guy, how's it going?" Tobin said almost hovering the baby's face taken over by the baby feels.

And like that the baby smiled, but just for a quick second.

Alex gasped. "I can't believe he just did that. He is sooo cute Tobin!"

Tobin rubbed Alex's back and kissed her forehead. This is it. This is what I want my life to be like Tobin thought with the huge smile she couldn’t get off her face.

\-------------------------------

It was the 77th minute and PSG hadn’t scored the equalizer against Lyon. It was the Round of the last 8 and PSG were having a tough game to say the least. Too many turnovers and not enough chances created. PSG were lucky enough too had kept the score line to a minimal. Tobin was playing every minute and you could see the exhaustion in her body expressions. She was also frustrated by the physical style of play some of the Lyon players were exerting. And not to mention the refs were hardly paying any attention. More minutes passed by and nothing changed. Lyon still kept possession and PSG kept chasing. Finally, the ref blew the final whistle to end the match. Lyon would move on and PSG were eliminated out of Champions League. The fans were disappointed but were still cheering on with heart for their team. Give credit to a good match that PSG never shied away from and let’s be honest, every player fought and ran their ass off. Both teams were still on the field congratulating one another and each other’s team staff. The fans were still in the stands, Lyon avid followers cheering louder than most. Tobin and Lindsey exchanged a few words to each other, mostly encouraging ones. Once they hugged, Lindsey headed towards the locker room with the some of her teammates. Less and less players were coming off the field and the middy’s eyes were searching the crowd. Her eyes were looking up and down the stands near the goal area looking for a certain pair of blue eyes. That is until they dropped on the forward who was standing and clapping her hands in encouragement patiently waiting for the middy to make her way over to her. A smile fell on Tobin’s face and her legs urged towards Alex’s direction. She stopped at the pole bars that was used to block the field from the fans. Alex met her on the other side as her hands softly touched Tobin’s. Even though the game had literally only ended minutes before, the duo stood there in the stands having a conversation only for themselves as if they were in their own little reality. 

She locked eyes on Tobin giving off an endearing look with her soft blue eyes. “You did great.” Alex said sternly but in her gentle raspy voice.

Tobin squeezed Alex’s hands and shook her head. “That was tough.” 

“You guys played great. You guys brought it Tobs.”

“We could’ve done better.” Tobin mumbled under her breath looking around at the fans. Some of whom were paying too much attention to the couple.

Alex wrapped her hands around Tobin’s neck but the middy didn’t look in her view. That is until Alex tugged onto the bottom of Tobin’s jersey to make her girl pay attention.

“Im proud of you.” 

They shared a loving look. 

A second later, one of PSG’s training staff members came over and spoke in French basically telling Tobin to come into the tunnel now. Tobin looked back quickly and nodded. She grabbed onto both Alex’s forearms which were still wrapped around her neck. 

“I’ll see you after.” She replied. But before she jumped off the cement steps she gave Alex a quick peck on the lips. Too quick for Alex’s liking, Alex just nodded and smiled back. 

\------------------------

Alex patiently waited in the tunnel for Tobin to come out dressed from the locker rooms. She was kept busy though as some French reporters had circled around her after recognizing her face and asked to chit chat, off the record of course. Alex agreed as she answered questions regarding the USWNT and her previous NWSL season performance. Although, a lot of the questions were about the recent decision that the forward had made that made for breaking news in the soccer world on a national level and on an international level. 

“So when exactly did you make the decision Alex?” One reported asked.

“Umm – I mean. It definitely wasn’t planned but I put a lot of thought into it.”

“Mmm.” The reported nodded.

“It’s a little spontaneous though right? Coming from you?” Another reported asked.

“Mmmm, I guess it is. I don’t know. This is the first biggest decision I’ve made in my career actually – the second decision. The first being to play for the USWNT of course. But I don’t feel like it’s spontaneous.” Alex said with a shrug and a bright smile which made all the reporters laugh.

“So Alex, if you’re not playing the next season what are you going to do? Is it more like a vacation season then?”

Alex giggled. “I like the sound of that, a vacation season. I think all players deserve that. But um – honestly Im just looking forward to resting my body a bit and refocusing my priorities. Right now, my main priority is to make sure that I’m constantly working on improving my game and my fitness. Of course, I’m also excited to plan my wedding but right now I wanna enjoy my engagement first.” Alex giggled again with her eyes wandering off to the other side of the tunnel. Then it landed on a brown eyed middy, hair down and damp, dressed in PSG training gear walking towards Alex. Alex smiled and politely thanked the reporters and said her goodbyes. She practically paced towards Tobin and wrapped the middy by her waist. They didn’t have to say anything and instead hugged. The company of one another was more than enough. Lindsey also came out of the locker room in the next few seconds. At first her facial expression was filled with disappointment and sadness. But once she saw Alex rocking her engagement ring while she and Tobin were having a quiet conversation to themselves in the corner she immediately made her way towards the happy couple. 

“Oh my gosh!” She said happily as she wrapped the two jokingly in a bear hug. Once the couple broke away from the embrace, Lindsey reached out at Alex’s left hand.

“Oh my god. Tobin you picked this out?” Lindsey asked sarcastically. Alex just laughed to herself.

“I had help.” Tobin replied.

“That’s what I thought. Kelley is much better at shopping than you.”

Alex couldn’t stop laughing while Lindsey kept awing at the ring. Tobin just scoffed. 

“Congratulations Alex.” Lindsey smiled.

“Thanks.” 

As the girls walked and chatted about the ring and wedding plans, Tobin followed shortly behind. All the while keeping her eyes on Alex magnetized that in months she would all be hers. 

 

FLASHBACK  
Alex couldn’t stop laughing as she watched Tobin through the bedroom windows as she sat comfortably in bed. The midfielder was running around aimlessly in the backyard trying to cover all the patio furniture with tarps from the heavy rain that was pouring down. Poor Tobin was struggling to keep dry as she was dressed in only a loose shirt and small boxers. She almost even slipped on the wet grass and that was the final straw for her. She immediately ran back into the house. Meanwhile, Alex was so full of joy and bliss she couldn’t believe all the events that happened in just a matter of days. Especially, the state of her and Tobin’s relationship. Alex didn’t wanna relish in the memories of those days when they were in a break. Especially, the weekend in LA. All she could think about was the fact that she chose to come home, back to Tobin. She could hear the middy cleaning the house and doing the little things she always does before they went off to bed. Like turning off all the lights, unplugging wires, or making sure the garage door was shut closed and locked. So Alex quickly rushed out of bed, in nothing but a big UNC shirt and her underwear, to grab the ring from her purse she hid in one of the zipper pockets. She climbed back onto bed holding the ring in her palm trying to calm her breaths. She shut her palm to hide the ring once Tobin walked into the bedroom slightly huffing and puffing.

“Ok. Everything’s set. The chairs near the lily pond might be wet tomorrow morning I couldn’t get to it.” Tobin said as she dried off her wet arms with a towel. 

“You wanna shower?” Alex asked.

“Baby, we already did.” Tobin smirked.

The middy threw the small hand towel to the ground and climbed onto the bed next to her girlfriend. 

“I just meant you could catch a cold from being outside. Warm shower would help.” Alex said slyly.

Tobin just chuckled knowing what the striker was really instigating. She just threw the sheets over her as she slid under the covers her head lying comfortably on the pillows. “Baby, we kinda did already   
took a long shower before. And im still tired from that.”

Alex laughed and shifted her body to face a lying Tobin as she watched the middy turn on the tv. 

“Tobin?”

“Yeah?”

“Baby?”

Alex brushed against Tobin’s arm. The middy looked up to Alex’s eyes.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I meant everything I said before. Going to Paris – 

“Baby I know.” Tobin said cutting Alex off. “You don’t have to prove anything to me c’mon.”

“I know. I want you to know I choose you over almost everything.”

Tobin sat up a little trying to focus on what Alex was trying to say. “Ok. Baby I feel the same.” Tobin reached out to Alex’s hand.

“I love you so much and I don’t want you to think I wouldn’t do anything for you. Like being in Portland rather than Paris.”

Tobin squeezed on Alex’s hand now. “It’s ok. You’re coming to Paris now for a little bit and then we can come back home. Ok baby? It’s fine with me.”

Alex smiled huge, Tobin was not catching it at all. 

“I wanna marry you.” Alex put it bluntly.

Tobin chuckled at first but then a huge smile spread across her face. She sat up this time cupping Alex’s left side of her face. They kissed subtly and Alex opened her hand to reveal the ring.

“I was wondering where that went.” Tobin joked. 

Alex laughed as Tobin grabbed the ring from Alex’s palm. She slid the ring on Alex’s fingers and brushed the few tears that were sliding down on Alex’s right cheek. Tobin wrapped an arm around   
Alex’s waist while looking at a teary eyed Alex. 

“Alex, will you marry me baby?”

Alex nodded and embraced Tobin in a tight hug. Tobin let go and tugged on Alex’s loose shirt.

“You know, not to ruin the moment but I did have plans to ask you in Paris…again.”

Alex bursted into laughter. “Really?” 

“I mean properly.” Tobin chuckled. 

“Well you could ask again.”

“You’re spoiled Morgan.” Tobin muttered before she placed peck on the striker’s soft lips.


End file.
